Linked Circles
by adm-frb
Summary: A Babylon 5 ST:TNG Crossover. When the Enterprise D and USS Challenger crosses into the Babyon 5 universe, everything changes. Contains a small element of ST:TOSMovie Era
1. A Ghost From the Past

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**---------------------COPYRIGHT/DISCLAIMER NOTICE-----------**

**"Star Trek", "Star Trek: The Next Generation", "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine", and "Star Trek: Enterprise" and all related Star Trek related material, it's characters and certain technological devices and/or references to such, from the television shows and movies, may be or are registered trademarks of, and may be or are copyrighted by Paramount Studios and whatever corporation it may or may not be owned by.**

**"Babylon Five", it's characters, certain technological devices and/or references to such, from the television show, past present of near future, may be or are registered trademarks of, Babylon 5, characters, names, and all related indicia are trademarks of Time Warner Entertainment Co., LP.**

**Additional characters are the creation of the author who is solely responsible for them as such. Neither studio is responsible for the content of this story.**

**Author's Note: - **The first few chapters are near identical to the events in the ST:TNG Episode 'Yesterday's Enterprise.' This story you might guess starts as an alternate of an alternate timeline.

**Linked Circles**

**Chapter 1**

Studying the main screen at the fore of the bridge, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, tried to focus on the ship that seemed to be emerging from the greenish nebulous cloud that had mysteriously formed right before the _Enterprise_, the Galaxy-class battleship that was the fourth in a succession of ships after Kirk's ship to bear the name.

Getting up from his command chair, Picard proceeded to the centre of the bridge, to stand just before steps that led to the slightly lowered flight control station. "Ensign," Picard said commandingly. "All stop. Let's not get any closer before we know what were dealing with."

"Aye, Sir." Ensign Wesley Crusher, the young dark-haired flight control officer in his late teens, responded inputting the command into his station. A beat later, he added, "Now reading all stop," as the ship arrested its forward motion slowing from a quarter light speed to nothing in a matter of seconds.

Looking back towards the starboard rear of the bridge, Picard addressed the attractive blond-haired Lieutenant Natasha Yar, his tactical officer/security chief, currently occupied the tactical station. "Lieutenant," he asked. "What are our sensors reading? Is that an enemy ship?" Picard needed to know before he could make further decisions. If he made the wrong one, he could risk destruction of his ship to enemy fire. Starfleet needed all the ships it could get. The war with the Klingons, Picard knew, was not going well.

Lieutenant Yar shook her head at the readings, not getting the answers she needed. "I'm getting too much interference, Captain."

As Picard retook his command chair, he glanced to his right, exchanging a look with his executive officer, Commander William Riker, giving him a silent order. _Go and give her a hand._ Without another word, he got up and went to her station and started conferring to each other. Moments later, their work apparently bore fruit.

"It's clearing now, Captain." Yar informed Picard. "It's definitely Federation. Accessing registry…"

Looking up from the tactical station, Riker added. "It looks like they had a rough ride."

"NCC…" Yar said. "One-nine-seven-seven…" She paused as she realised, that the entire bridge crew was looking at her "…_USS Challenger_."

O-O-O

Military Log, 08/17/2366-0445: -While investigating an unusual radiation anomaly reported by _Starbase 105_, the Enterprise has encountered what can only be described as a ghost from the Federation's past: The _USS Challenger_. A refit Constitution-class starship, believed lost eight decades ago.

O-O-O

"Confirm that." Riker ordered.

Monitoring the readouts at the operation station, at the port rear of the bridge, mirroring tactical, the android Lieutenant Commander Data spoke up. "Confirmed, Commander. Analysis of hull and engine materials conforms to engineering patterns and methods of that time period."

Looking up from his station, Ensign Crusher looked back to Data. "But that cruiser was destroyed almost eighty years ago.

"Presumed destroyed." Data corrected him. "The _USS Challenger_ was last seen near the Klingon Outpost on Narendra-III exactly eighty years, one month and three days ago."

"And now their here." Riker said thoughtfully.

"Has it been adrift for all those years?" Picard asked curious. "Or, has it travelled though time?"

"That is a possibility," Data said. "If that hypothesis is correct, then the anomaly we just encountered would be a temporal rift in space."

"A rift?" Picard asked, getting up again and approaching the main screen to get a better look at the condition of the vessel. The screen currently showed a view of the ship's port side. He could see three points of obvious torpedo impacts. One forward and starboard of the impulse engines, a second near the bridge on the port side. The third was on the secondary hull near the deflector dish. He could also see a gash from the impact of disrupter fire near the base of the nearer warp nacelle pylon.

"Possibly a Kerr loop from superstring material." Data expanded. "It would require a high energy interaction in the area to be formed. The rift is certainly not stable. It could collapse at any time."

"Captain," Yar said looking up from her station. "I'm able to scan the interior of the ship now, sir."

"Report Lieutenant." Picard ordered approaching her station to get a look at the readings for himself.

"Heavy damage to warp field nacelles and hull-bearing struts. Internal space frame is-" Yar broke off as a new alarm sounded on her console. "Life signs, Captain! Readings are sporadic. Looks like they have taken casualties. But most are still alive."

"Bridge to Sickbay," Riker said tapping his com-badge. "Emergency teams. Standby transporter rooms."

"_Understood._"

"Belay that order, Doctor. " Picard said overruling Riker.

"Respectfully…" Riker put forward. "Regardless of where they came from. They are here now and need our help."

"Commander," Picard went on. "If that ship has travelled through time, then we are dealing with variables that could alter the flow of our history-" Picard cut himself off as the tactical console indicated an incoming transmission.

"Receiving a distress signal from the _Challenger_." Yar informed them. "Audio Only."

"Uh huh." Picard prompted.

A moment later a voice came across the bridge. "_This is Captain Robert Styles of the Federation starship _Challenger _to any Federation ship. We've been attacked by Romulan warships and need assistance. We've lost warp drive and life support is failing._"

"There's no record of a Romulan assault on the _Challenger_." Riker said puzzled.

"Voice message ended, Captain." Yar said cutting off the speakers. "It's just their automated beacon now."

"Open a hailing frequency," Picard commanded as he and Riker both took their respective seats. "This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation starship _Enterprise_. Standby to receive emergency teams."

"Sir?" Riker asked puzzled. Picard had just done a one-eighty on his decision not to send emergency teams.

"Commander," Picard said, his voice grave and serious. "We will take this one step at a time. Stabilize their power systems and life support. Tend to their injured. And above all, avoid all discussions of when they are."

"Aye, sir, " Riker said as he tapped his com-badge. "Bridge to Sickbay. Emergency teams. Standby transporter rooms."

"_Understood_."

"Lieutenant," Riker said addressing Yar as he headed to the turbolift. "You're with me."

After Riker and Yar had left the bridge, Crusher who had been quietly monitoring the navigation reports picked up an incoming message. "Captain," he said. "Message from Starfleet monitoring station. Klingon birds-of-prey heading towards this sector.

"Battle alert, Mr. Crusher." Picard acknowledged the alert. "Condition Yellow."

O-O-O

Riker finished materializing on the _Challenger_'s darkened bridge. What light the bridge had, was eerily red from the emergency lights. Taking an instant survey of his surroundings flashing his wrist-light around, he noted the bridge was of the traditional design utilised during the mid 2280's.

Roughly circular, two exits at the rear of the upper encircling level either side of a standing console showing various schematics of the starship. Around the remainder of the darkened bridge, he could see several other stations. All three on the left side of the bridge were sit-down stations; the station to his immediate right, next to the starboard turbolift was what he remembered as an old style science station. The others were standing, like the one at the rear. He could see at least half a dozen of the bridge crew slumped in their chairs. Three others were lying near their stations, having died from an obvious explosion near the blank main screen. He found it strange that he noted the uniforms they wore were the same as the one he wore himself. The blue jumpsuit uniform that had been in use since Captain Archer's time.

Looking to the centre of the bridge, in the sunken command area, He could see that Doctor Beverly Crusher, was already moving off from where she had arrived and was scanning for survivors with her tricorder. Pointing at the three crewmen near the main screen, she confirmed what Riker had already surmised. "Dead."

Beside him, Yar had stepped down to the command area, while Lieutenant Commander Geordi LaForge headed up to one of the consoles on the upper level, trying to get some information out of it.

Still circling his light around, his light caught movement from the command chair. Moving over to it, he shone his light at the officer, allowing him to see the occupant. He was a mess. Suit covered most of his uniform and his head had obviously been bleeding bad. The blood encrusted into his hazel moustache with more blood seeping from a wound above his left eye. "Captain Styles?" He asked, confirming his guess.

"Yes." His voice was croaky weak. He needed obvious medical attention.

"I'm Commander William Riker," he informed Styles. "Our emergency teams are boarding your ship." Looking up, he addressed the Doctor who had been tending to a crewman slumped over what Riker thought was the tactical/security station on this ship. "Doctor?"

Coming across, she gave her report while quickly scanning the captain. "Four others are still alive. The rest of the bridge crew is dead." Her diagnosis was prompt. "I'm reading internal injuries I can't treat here. I'll have to get him to the _Enterprise_."

Styles, becoming more alert, looked up at the mention of the flagship. "Where are you from Commander?"

"We'll explain later." Riker tried to put off.

"You'll explain now!" Styles tried to put some force into his voice.

"We're from a Federation ship," Riker reported neutrally. "We answered your distress call. Your ship is in good hands. But, we need to get you to our sickbay."

"Very well."

Putting her tricorder away, she tapped her com-badge. "Crusher to transporter room. Two to beam directly to sickbay."

"_Standby for transport._"

A moment later, Crusher and the injured captain disappeared in the sparkle of the transporter effect.

Moving to the flight control station, Riker joined LaForge where he was running a diagnostic on the controls. "It's pretty bad, Commander." LaForge said putting a tool back in his engineering holdall. "Looks like they were in a hell of a fight."

"If you can't restore life support," Riker told him. "We'll have to evacuate the ship."

"I think I can do it," LaForge told him. "But I'm going to have to do it from engineering though." He got up and headed towards the exit, tapping his com-badge. "LaForge to Damage Control Team Alpha. Meet me in Engineering, Deck Sixteen."


	2. Welcome to the 24th Century

**Chapter 2**

"Captain," Data said from his position at Operations. "Away Team reporting in."

"On screen."

Ahead, the main screen flickered. The view of the old ship being replaced with a view of his executive officer. Behind Riker, Picard could several of the Challenger's own crew starting to return to their own duties. It would make getting the ship underway that much easier. "Report, Commander."

"_We've got life support back online. LaForge is working on restoring main power. But, that will take time. It's a real mess down here, Sir._"

"Survivors?"

"_Three hundred eighty-seven._"

"Recommendations."

"_I'd hate to scrap her._" Riker said. _"__Starfleet could certainly use another ship. Even if it is old._"

Putting the PADD, he had been making notes on down, Picard addressed his executive officer. "Agreed. But, we can't stay in this area too long. You have nine hours. If you can get her underway by then, we'll escort her back to _Starbase 105_. If not, we'll evacuate her and destroy the ship."

"_Understood_."

"Keep me posted. Picard out."

Hearing, the turbolift doors open, Picard glanced back to acknowledge the new presence on his bridge. To his surprise, it was Guinan, the civilian who ran the ship's mess hall at the fore of the ship on deck ten.

"Guinan?" Picard said. He was curious about why she had come to the bridge. Normally she stayed as far away as she could from the place.

"Captain, " Guinan stated. "We need to talk… Something doesn't feel right. Something is about to happen."

"My ready room," Picard said getting up from his chair. Indicating for her to follow.

Once inside, Picard took his seat and indicated for her to take the seat opposite to him.

His office, if one could call it that was dominated by a strategic map on a monitor, showing the positions of Starfleet's forces against those of the Klingons. His desk was cluttered with PADDs containing reports from across his ship. His desk monitor currently displayed a file on the _Challenger._ He had been going over the scans of her since the ship's arrival in this time period.

"What's wrong Guinan?" Picard asked.

"I'm not sure," she said serenely. "I feel as though something's about to happen. Things feel as though they're changing."

"What things?" Picard demanded. "What's changing?"

"Space, time." Guinan tried to explain. "It's changing and it feels connected to that anomaly."

"The anomaly?"

"I'm not sure," Guinan said. "But, every time I look at it. I keep thinking it's gotten bigger. It's as though it's grown.

"Our sensors haven't shown it to have grown." Picard tried to point out.

"I know," Guinan said frowning. "And that's what troubles me."

O-O-O

Stepping into the sickbay, Picard found a nurse, made a quick query and headed to where Captain Robert Styles was being treated by Doctor Crusher and Nurse Alyssa Ogawa. He could see that Styles was now fully aware of his surroundings and was beginning to suspect something wasn't right. _I'm going to have to tell him_. Picard thought.

Stopping next to the bed, Picard cleared his throat before introducing himself. "I'm Captain Jean-Luc Picard."

In response, Styles raised hid head. It was all he could do while being restrained by the medical paraphernalia. "Robert Styles. How's my ship?"

"Life support is back online. Repairs are continuing."

"Where did you come from?" Styles asked. Looking Picard in the eye. "We weren't picking up any other ships in the sector."

Glancing up at Crusher, Picard sought permission to question the _Challenger_'s captain. He went on. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"We were answering the distress signal."

"Distress signal?"

"You must have heard it." Styles said. "From the Klingon Outpost. Narendra III." Styles looked around the sickbay, taking in his unusual surroundings. He made the obvious conclusion. Picard could see it in eyes. "But, you didn't… did you? And this sickbay. I've never seen anything like it…even on a starbase." He paused again. Making sure that he had Picard's eye. "And your insignia is different. What ship is this?"

Seeing Styles trying to get up, Doctor Crusher ordered him to be still.

"I must insist, Captain."

"Captain Styles," Picard said formally. "Your aboard the _USS Enterprise_, NCC-1701-_D_. You have come eighty years into the future." Picard was quiet, allowing the information to sink in. Styles had to realise, that they could not go back. If they did, they would undoubtedly contaminate the timeline.

"Eighty years." Styles said shocked. "Does my crew know yet?"

"Not yet."

"I must tell them… I owe them that."

" Of course. Do you have any idea how this happened?"

Styles thought for a moment. His eyes went vacant as he remembered the last few moments of the battle. "There were… There was… a fierce volley of photon torpedoes. We were hit. A bright light, and then here."

"It is possible," Picard said thinking. "That this exchange of fire could have been the catalyst for the formation of a temporal rift. History has no record of your battle with the Romulans."

Styles looked shocked at that. "We were responding to a distress call from the Klingon Outpost on Narendra III. The Romulans were attacking. We engaged them. But there were three warbirds."

"The Narendra III outpost was destroyed." Picard told him. "It is regrettable that you did not succeed. A Federation starship responding to a Klingon distress call could have averted nearly a century of war."

Picard looked downcast, at the sad expression on Styles face. He could think of nothing more to say.

O-O-O

Sitting at the helm of the _Challenger_, Riker swore as he ran another diagnostic on the impulse engines. "I'm not getting any kind of ready condition on the impulse engines, LaForge..." he said tapping his com-badge.

"_Acknowledged, Commander... some of the engine control processors went off-line_," the engineer reported. "_And there's probably damage to the driver coils_."

"A lot of good that'll do them when the Klingons get here. Get on it."

"_Aye, Sir. LaForge out._"

Forward at the tactical alcove just to the left of the now operating main screen, showing a view of the _Enterprise_, Yar and the ship's own tactical officer, a dark skinned lieutenant in his early twenties. If Riker remembered correctly, the officer's name was Foster. Riker listened in quietly watching the two officers at work "Eighty years! I can't believe it."

"I'm reading forty percent on forward shields," Yar reported. Despite the unusual situation, she was remaining focused on her job. Riker liked that. Forster could use the example she provided. "What do you have on aft?"

Foster touched a few controls, feeling glad that the ship had received the latest in touch sensitive technology a few months earlier. He was pretty sure, that the _Enterprise_ crew would not have known what to do with actual buttons. Reading the information, he told her "forty-two percent."

"That wont cut it," Yar told Riker. "Commander, advise LaForge that shields are below minimum."

"Acknowledged." Riker told her.

"Okay," Yar said. "What do you read on the phaser banks?"

"Phaser cannons online," Foster said. "Sixty percent power fore. Fifty-two percent aft."

"Good," Yar said pleased. "But, there's still room for improvement."

O-O-O

_Challenger'_s main engine room was dominated, by the warp core. A tall cylindrical structure extending four decks above main engineering, and four below, with a thinner conduit connected to the core at a ninety degree and that extended down the length of engineering. At the rear of the room this conduit split into two. Each one, led up to a warp nacelle.

Currently, the core was barely idling, a thrum resounded every other second throughout the room accompanied by dim blue flash. The conduit extending rearwards in turn emitted a pulse of reddish light in harmony with the core.

When Geordi LaForge had first entered the room, he was struck by how similar the core looked to the one he was familiar with on the _Enterprise_. He knew intellectually that the Galaxy-class warp core had evolved from this one. But, he had somehow thought it would look different. One thing that had surprised him was just how powerful the core was. On a second by second basis, this core could actually provide almost as much power as _Enterprise_'s. It was just that it could only maintain that power for no more than a few minutes. LaForge thought, that if they could get the dilithium crystals into the right alignment, then the _Challenger_, could probably match the _Enterprise_ in terms of maximum warp speed, while only having about a third less phaser firepower. And, he thought, if they tied the excess power generated from the impulse engines into the shields and weapons, they could cut that difference to just over a quarter. He could tell that Commander Kyle, the _Challenger_ chief engineer would go for it. But would Styles allow it. Or for that matter, would Picard. Unfortunately even if they approved, both the impulse and warp drive would need to be operational.

The complex was a beehive of activity, now that they were getting ready to bring the core fully online and restore main power. Once that was done, LaForge knew, the remainder of the repairs could be done in about an hour. They had already been at for just over four hours.

LaForge said to the grizzled engineer who ran _Challenger_'s engineering department. "I think I've found the problem with the impulse engines." LaForge had been running a sonic analyzer over some isolinear chips. "These first generation chips were vulnerable to power surges. I'll have some replacements sent across. The fourth generation ones we use have an integrated cut-off circuit, which just has to be reset if a surge takes place.

O-O-O

A while later, Yar and Foster materialized in one of the _Enterprise_ transporter rooms, Foster looking around as he stepped off in awe at the improvements in technology. He muttered. "Wish _Challenger_, was like this ship."

Seeing the expression on his face, Yar smiled remembering the first time she had stepped aboard the _Enterprise_. Stepping out into the bustles of the corridor, Yar made the decision to give him 'Galaxy Spiel' as she called it. "The _Enterprise_ was the third Galaxy-class warship commissioned. Forty-two decks, capable of transporting over ten thousand troops though we only have about three thousand aboard right now. Dual vector assault mode." She could have gone on. But, she thought as she smiled, that she sounded too much like an admiral.

"_Dual Vector Assault mode_?" Foster asked curious.

"Dual Vector Assault mode," Yar explained. "This class of starship, was designed and built to be capable of splitting into two combat capable ships, allowing us when needed to surprise an enemy ship, attacking it from two vectors. No ship that has come under 'dual vector assault mode' has survived."

"Wow," was all Foster could say. He thought a bit more about the advantages of doing that. "You don't need a starbase to re-integrate?"

"No," Yar answered. "We use non-destructive magnetic latches to achieve separated flight, rather than explosive bolts."

They continued walking in silence for the next few minutes before they arrived at their destination. Sickbay. The _Challenger_'s executive officer, Commander Rachel Garret, was already there in conference with Styles. Garret, Yar noted, was a tall woman with long dark hair tied back into a military bun.

Styles was, Foster was pleased to note, now sitting up, shooting scowls at the _Enterprise_ medical team. Most of the crew knew that Styles hated doctors. Especially those with the surname McCoy. To top it off, Foster thought with a smile, Doctor Crusher's second is a McCoy, the granddaughter of the famous doctor that Styles hated. As Yar and Foster approached, they caught the end of their conversation.

"…Captain," Garret said. "I was talking to Commanders Kyle and LaForge earlier. They have an idea to get more usable power from the warp core. They wanted to know whether or not to proceed. I agreed with their idea. But, I told them that your word was final."

"Tell them they can go ahead," Styles said. "Just so long as they don't break my ship." He gave a smile at the last comment. He remembered what happened to his last command after someone had played with his engines.

Noting the two young officers, they broke off. Styles asked Foster for his report.

"We've got shields and the phaser cannons online. Still no power to the torpedo launchers, though we now have a full load out thanks to the _Enterprise_. Warp and impulse systems are being restored as we speak."

"Concentrate on the weapons," Styles said. "From what Picard said to me, the Federation needs all the ships it can get. Even 'old' ones." Styles shared a smile at Garret.

"And soon," Yar added. Both Styles and Garret looked at her when she said that. "Our sensors have picked up Klingon warships in this sector."

At this, Styles swung his legs over the side of the bed, getting up. _Now_, he thought._ I've got a valid reason to get up_.

"Sir," Garret said suddenly alarmed as she spotted Doctor Crusher coming over. She knew what was about to happen. "You shouldn't be get-" Garret cuts herself off as Styles addresses Foster.

"Why wasn't I notified?" Styles went on. "Lieutenant Foster, as head of tactical, I want you to liaise with your counterpart here."

"That's me." Yar told them.

Styles finally stood up. His bearing was now fully that of a commanding officer. Starting to move to the exit, Garret, Foster and Yar following, he was intercepted by Doctor Crusher.

"And," she said commandingly, actually making him pause when he intended to brush past her. "Just where do you think your going?"

"I'm resuming my duties, Doctor."

"Captain," Crusher said forcefully. "You need at least another twenty-four hours for observation-"

"Nonsense," Styles said. "Doctors have this tendency to be over-protective."

"And," Doctor Crusher shot back. Captains always push themselves to hard."

"And wait for another day," Styles said. Forcing his way to the exit. "Might as well be a century. My crew needs me now. I'm going to tend to them."

O-O-O

Looking around Ch_allenger_'s bridge, Picard was pleased to note that it was fully functional again. Most of the damage had been repaired; the only evidence of its previous state was the smoke stains near the main screen. Styles was sitting in his chair reading a report. Picard was standing next to him in conversation. They had been discussing what Guinan had told him earlier. "You believe this Guinan?" he asked.

"I discovered long ago," Picard said. "That Guinan has a special wisdom. If you wish, I could arrange for you to speak with her."

"I'll consider that." Styles said fingering his command baton.

"Captain Styles," Lieutenant Lewis Ferrer said from the navigation station. He was a young officer, with light brown hair. He was distinctly pleased that Styles was back on his feet; he was the officer that had been with him since the debacle of the _Excelsior_. "Navigational sensors online and functioning."

"Very well," Styles said pleased. "You should be able to disengage remote navigation control." For the past few hours, the _Challenger_, had been depending on the _Enterprise_ for navigation data.

Over at the tactical station, Picard saw Yar and Foster in conversation. He could catch snippets of their conversation. "Shields are up to eighty percent," Foster said. "That's better."

"Good," Yar said, before moving across the bridge to the science station. "I'm going to check sensors are calibrated correctly." She gave a smile as she reassured the enlisted crewman she was reaching over to tap a few controls. "Excellent," Yar said, noting that the sensors were getting a better resolution and range than she expected. "Your work, Crewman?"

"Samno. Yes, ma'am." He replied. "Most of the long-range sensors were completely destroyed. So I spoke with one of your engineers. Barclay, I think. Managed to get them replaced."

"Oh," Yar said smiling at the thought of that particular engineer. "He didn't just replace them. He upgraded them to current Excelsior-III specs."

"_Engineering to bridge_." Kyle's voice came across the intercom. "_Warp drive is now at standby status. Torpedo launchers are functioning_."

"Thank you." Styles said.

An alarm sounded at the communications station. At that station, Garret put the small bluetooth earpiece on, waited a moment before turning to Styles and Picard. "We're getting a hail from _Enterprise_."

"On screen," Picard and Styles said together. They glanced at each other, then looked to the main screen, which was now showing the _Enterprise_'s bridge. Picard could see Riker moving to the centre of the bridge to address Picard and Styles.

"_Captain,_" Riker said with a note of urgency. "_You better get back here. We lost the _Bird-of-Preys_ we were tracking. It must have cloaked_." As Riker was speaking, Picard noted that his bridge had darkened and gone eerily red. The _Enterprise_ had gone to battle stations.

"Last known ETA?" Picard asked.

Behind Picard, both turbolift doors had opened as additional crewmen entered the bridge, most of them going to unmanned stations, including the helm. The others were hanging back. In the background, Picard could overhear Styles and Garret quietly issuing orders.

"_ETA: Three minutes_."

"Understood," Picard said. "Commander, recall all _Enterprise_ personnel. But, transport Medical Team Beta to _Challenger_. They may need them." He looked over to where Yar had been standing over Crewman Samno. "Lieutenant."


	3. Skirmish With the Klingons

**Chapter 3**

As Captain Picard and Lieutenant Yar headed into the starboard turbolift, Captain Styles touched a control on the arm of his chair, activating the intercom. "Bridge to Transporter Room One," he said. "Captain Picard and Lieutenant Yar are ready to return to their ship.

"_Understood_," The transporter operator reported. "_The _Enterprise _medical team has beamed aboard_."

Very well. Bridge out." Styles said as he turned to face his executive officer at the communications station. "Commander," he said. "Sound general quarters. All hands, battle stations."

"Aye, Sir." Garret said activating the ship-wide intercom. "General quarters. All hands, battle stations. This is not a drill, I repeat: This is not a drill." Her voice boomed across the ship. Foster at the tactical station, entered a few commands, sounding general quarters, switching lights to red.

"Challenger_. This is _Enterprise_. Captain Picard is safely aboard._"

O-O-O

In the port torpedo bay, at the base of the 'neck', Lieutenant Thomas Reed supervised the preparations of the torpedo bay, while beside him, his assistant, Ensign Eugene Mayweather actually supervised the loading of the weapons.

Before him, several enlisted personnel were lifting away the safety grates, which normally covered the torpedo track, allowing torpedoes to actually be rolled out into the port launcher. In adjacent starboard bay, he knew that his counterpart, Lieutenant James Horner was doing the same thing.

As the last grates were removed, Mayweather activated the controls that would lower the torpedoes from the deck above into the track. He would have to repeat this seven times, before the launcher had a full load. These mark-VI torpedoes, which _Enterprise_ had loaded out _Challenger_ with, were supposed to have greater range and accuracy. His study of the actual warheads, had suggested that their yield was no higher than those of the mark IV's.

Several seconds later, the first torpedoes, they looked like elongated elliptical cylinders just over two metres long, started going down the track. In another twenty seconds, the process would be complete.

A quarter minute later, he was reporting a 'ready to fire' status to the bridge. But, he was annoyed to find out that Horner's team had beaten his by three seconds. _Damn_, he thought_. Have to do better_.

O-O-O

"All right people," Kyle said above the thrum of the warp care, clambering into his white engineering suit. "Let's this core up to full power. Time to see if these modifications work. We'll give these ruddy Klingons a fight they won't forget."

Hitting the intercom, he called the bridge. "Engineering to Bridge," he said. "Captain. I'm bringing the weapons and defence upgrades online. Full power at your discretion."

"_Acknowledged, Engineer_." Styles replied.

O-O-O

"Tactical," Styles ordered. "Deploy phaser cannons, shields up full."

"Aye, Sir." Foster said. "Raising shields…shields up. Phasers deployed."

At the science station, an alarm sounded. "Klingon _Bird of Prey_ de-cloaking," Samno reported as the ship rocked to starboard. A torpedo strike. "Bearing zero-four-two mark zero-zero-five. Range: Two hundred thousand kilometres."

"Shields holding!" Foster called out. "Locking phasers.

"Fire phasers at will. Hold fire on torpedoes." Styles ordered as the ship rocked again. "Navigation, come to heading relative zero-four-two mark zero-zero-three. Two-thirds impulse.

"Aye, Sir." Ferrer said. "Coming to zero-four-two mark zero-zero-three."

"Increasing to two-thirds impulse." Crewman Burke reported at the helm.

On the screen, the _Bird of Prey_ started to turn away, under the lashing of the phasers. He could clearly see the Klingon's shields flashing green under the weapons strikes.

"Stay on their tail, Lieutenant." Styles commanded. "Increase to full impulse."

"Full impulse, aye." Burke said.

"Tactical overlay on main screen."

The image on the screen changed slightly, The _Bird of Prey_ now had a red box around it, with range data blue figures at the bottom right of the screen. On the left, were various was information on target shield and hull strength. The Klingon vessel was now five thousand kilometres and it's rear shields were reading at ninety-eight percent.

Ready torpedoes," Styles commanded. "I want you to hit them with a full barrage, port and starboard, the moment you have a lock. I want that ship out of my sky. Target their primary reactor." A full barrage, Styles knew, was overkill. A Bird of Prey was actually a pretty weak vessel when it came to it's defences. Instead, it depended mostly on speed and manoeuvrability to survive battle.

Foster didn't answer. But, Styles saw the targeting cross hairs appear on the screen and track the hostile ship in attempt to lock on. "Damn," Foster muttered. "This guy's good." The _Bird of Prey_ had started jinking around in random patterns. Clearly trying to evade a lock on.

At that moment, the _Enterprise_ suddenly flew into the picture firing away with her phasers. The sudden distraction the _Enterprise_ provided, was all Foster needed. He locked on and fired. Unleashing a barrage of torpedoes. The first torpedo slammed into the Klingon's shields causing them to flare then go dark, the second and third impacted directly against the hull, slamming into the port wing, making the craft spin and rock violently. Then the final torpedoes impacted, rupturing the main hull, and actually detonating inside the vessel. It blew up in a spectacular explosion. It was all over in seven seconds, the bridge erupting in cheers as the ship flew on through the rapidly dying explosion. After all, there was no air to feed it.

O-O-O

"One Klingon vessel destroyed," Data reported from Ops. The bridge, like _Challenger_'s starts to erupt in cheers. But, Data quickly mutes them, reporting urgently. "Sensors detect eight Birds of Prey de-cloaking. Astern, Captain. Range: three hundred thousand, closing."

"Fire phasers," Picard ordered. "On screen."

The image on the screen, quickly changed from showing the _Challenger_ flying through the dying explosion, debris sparking against it's shields to the _Enterprise_'s rear view. "My God!" Riker muttered. They were outgunned.

"Firing phasers." Yar responded. A beat later, she announced. "Incoming! I count three torpedoes."

Seconds later, the torpedoes impacted. The ship shuddered, sparks raining from the ceiling. "Shields holding at ninety percent. Minor damage to secondary hull. Diverting auxiliary power to aft shields."

"Sir," Crusher said. "Three birds are breaking off to go after the _Challenger_."

"On screen." Picard ordered. The image went back to the previous view.

"Captain," Riker said. His words, were punctuated, by the shuddering of the ship, as it came under continual disrupter fire. "We can't handle this many ships without support. We must withdraw and head back to _Starbase 105_."

Not answering Riker, Picard was intently studying the main screen. He could see the _Challenger_ coming under fire. She began to move off, increase her range from the _Enterprise_. Giving herself room to manoeuvre. _What's she up too?_, Picard thought rubbing his chin. A habit he'd picked up from Riker. "Ensign," Picard asked as a thought occurred to him. "What's the range to _Challenger_?" Judging by the look on his flight controller's face as he turned to answer, Crusher did as well. "Range: Two million, two hundred and twenty-five thousand kilometres."

"Incoming hail from _Challenger_." Yar said.

"On screen," Picard said. Then adding as the ship shook violently again raining more sparks, "Maintain phaser fire."

The main screen changed to show a view of the _Challenger_'s bridge. The expression Styles face was deadly serious. "Report, Captain."

"_One hostile destroyed. Our shields are holding at seventy percent. Tell your engineers that their upgrades are working wonders over here._"

"I'll be sure to tell them." Picard remarked. He was waiting for the card to be dealt. Styles wasn't saying much that he couldn't surmise from sensors. "Anything else?"

"_Yes actually,_" Styles smirked viciously. "_Have you ever played 'Chicken' on your right side?_"

Riker and Crusher groaned in unison. That was exactly what they feared.

"Mr Crusher," Picard said looking straight at the screen as though looking down a gun sight. In a way he was. "New heading. Zero-zero-zero mark zero-zero-zero. Full impulse."

"Course laid in. Engaging…"

As Crusher spoke, everything seemed to dim. For a moment all light bent and doubled back on itself. It was as though the universe, was closing it's eyes to sneeze. Picard felt like he was falling down a very long hole and even though he could barely make his crew, he somehow knew that they were feeling the same thing. Then everything became bright again as the light distorted, and wavered, before going back to normal.

"…impulse engines." Crusher finished.

On the screen, the image of the _Challenger_ grew large as the starships closed in on one another at half the speed of light. Only seconds past, though to Ensign Crusher who was hunched over his console in concentration, it seemed like an eternity. He found that he was noting the most inconsequential of things. Things like the sun being blue, instead of yellow. Things like seeing a planetary system in the distance, where there shouldn't be any. Things like the asteroid field where the anomaly had been. Things like the _Enterprise _continually shuddering from disrupter fire. The _Challenger _was very close now indeed. It was starting to block out the astronomical bodies that he had been observing so closely. He read the range: five hundred and eighteen thousand kilometres. To everyone else he informed. "Seven seconds to collision…"

"Captain," Riker said. "We need to turn."

"Hold your course…" Picard said. "But standby to execute emergency turn."

"Five seconds…" Crusher said. "Four…three…two…"

"Hard to starboard," Picard commanded sharply, full banking turn."

Crusher, madly entered the commands. The _Enterprise_ and _Challenger_ passed each others keel, with barely twenty metres clearance. Collision alarms sounding on both bridges.

"Reverse angle on screen." Yar said for the Captains benefit.

It showed a brilliant sight. The _Challenger_ coming around to meet the _Enterprise_ in the background with multiple explosions in the foreground, as the Klingon ships collided with one another. They had been that focused on their quarries that they had neglected to notice the collision courses the two great starships were on. In the end, only one Klingon remained and that _Bird of Prey_ was despatched with a volley of torpedoes from both starships.

O-O-O

"_The Babylon Project was out last best hope for peace. It failed. But, in the year of the Shadow War, it became something else. Our last best hope…for victory. The year is 2260. The place..._Babylon 5_"_ Commander Susan Ivanova, Executive Officer of _Babylon 5._

O-O-O

"Well done, Captain." Picard said. He was standing in the centre of the bridge, looking at the main screen at Styles. Styles himself, was standing in front of and to the side of his bridge's flight control console. "That was quite the manoeuvre. What do you call it?"

"_The _McCawley-Walker Manoeuvre," Styles said proudly, looking at his helmsman. "_My helmsman here is a bit of a history buff. A few days ago, it had been film night over here. He was showing this film called _Pearl Harbor," Picard knew what he was talking about. The attack on the famous harbour was required reading at the academy. It was a perfect example of what could happen when one ignored the facts. "_In it, the tactic was thought up by two pilots called McCawley and Walker._"

"Hence, the name." Picard stated.

"_Exactly_," Styles paused. It was clear, that he had been trying to think of something. "_I was wondering,_" the _Challenger_ captain went on. "_Did your crew notice anything strange during the engagement?_"

Picard, realised, that he had. "Yes," Picard said. "For a moment during the _McCawley-Walker Manoeuvre_, I felt something. As though-" Picard paused. "I don't know. Everything went dark for a moment and I felt as though I was falling."

"_Sounds similar to reports_," Styles told Picard. "_I've been getting from across my ship. I don't want to alarm you Captain Picard. But, only one other crew has experienced something like this._"

"Let me guess," Picard said. "Captain Kirk and the command crew of the _USS Enterprise_. You don't think that we've fallen into that universe, do you?"

"_Unknown at this time._" Styles replied. Behind him, Picard could see various personnel giving each other worried glances. Taking a quick look behind himself, Picard saw his own crew giving one another similar glances. Coming to stand next to him, Riker made a suggestion.

"Sir, I recommend that we launch a class-8 probe towards Earth." Riker said. "We fit it with a sensor screen and program it to scan for communications or anything that is out of the ordinary."

Picard nodded. "Make it so." Turning back to Styles, he asked. "In the mean time, would you mind coming over. I think we have a lot to discuss."

"_Actually_," Styles said. "_I was thinking of inviting you over here. So far you've been most generous in offering us your hospitality. I would like to return the favour._"

"Of course," Picard said smiling. We'll beam over in twenty minutes. _Enterprise_ out."

O-O-O

"No, no, no," Londo Mollari exclaimed as he read Vir Cotto's report on the Minbari. "This report is totally inappropriate." Londo smirked at the thought of what Vir's expression would be when he looked at him. "You have to do it again." In the quarters of Londo Mollari, Centauri Republic Ambassador to the Earth Alliance Station _Babylon 5_, an argument was brewing.

"But, Londo," Vir said pleading. "Why? I've spent weeks working on the report. I didn't even sleep on the flight back from Minbar. Reading and re-reading the report. It's absolutely accurate."

When Londo looked up at Vir, his expression was just what he expected. _Shocked_. "Yes, Vir," Londo replied. "I'm sure it is, and that is the problem." He made a show of picking up a writing instrument, and going over it. Vir panicking as Londo scored out line after line as he read them aloud. "Here, you say 'The Minbari have carefully preserved their cities.'"

"That's right, absolutely."

"No," Londo explained in his kind tone. "Instead, you should say: 'Their cities are very old, indicating a decaying culture.'"

"What?" Vir exclaimed.

"And here: 'The Minbari put great emphasis on art, literature and music.' Yes. Well, say instead: 'They are a decedent race. Interested only in the pursuit of dubious pleasures.' The 'dubious' part is very important." Londo explained. "It doesn't mean anything. But, it scares people every time. Alright?"

"Londo," Vir said getting angry. "Every time I make a report, you do this to me."

"Yes, Vir," Londo smiled again, trying to be reassuring. "I'm trying to help you. A report that will be circulated at the Royal Court, needs to be worded very carefully. To make sure, that they appear less civilised than we are. It will make the Emperor happy…"

"I thought," Vir said. "The purpose of these reports, was to provide accurate intelligence."

"Vir, Intelligence has nothing to do with politics." Londo informed him. "Here: 'They are tolerant of differences among other cultures.' Instead say: 'They have no well-defined sense of morality.' They'll love that."

"Londo," Vir shouted. "I've been working for a day and half on this report." Londo tried to look surprised at this outburst. He wasn't really. He knew he'd had this coming. "You want to make notes! Fine. Make notes! But, you have had me locked up in here in your quarters ever since I got back. I'm going to get some sleep. When I come back, we'll work it out then."

Vir started to head out. But, he paused as an incoming call was announced. "_Ambassador Mollari. Incoming call from Centauri Prime_."

"Put it through," Londo said. "I've been waiting all day for this call."

"'I've been waiting all day for this call.'" Vir muttered turning round.

On the screen on the wall, the StellarCom logo vanished. Being replaced with the visage of an important Centauri. His peacock styled hair only slightly more elaborate than the ambassadors. Thus indicating his higher position in the royal court. Londo was positively ecstatic to be receiving this call. "_Ambassador Mollari. I have been instructed to tell you that Lady Morella has agreed to your request and will be arriving shortly._" Londo turned to face Vir, giving him a big grin almost cheeringly. "_She and her entourage will be willing to stop by on route from a good will visit to Brakesh 9._"

"Excellent! Just excellent." Londo replied at the screen. "Thank you Lord Trego."

Realising who was coming to _Babylon 5_, Vir Cotto started to look nervous. He would have to make arrangements, ensuring that she and her entourage would have accommodation during her stay. _Now I'll never get any sleep._ Vir thought. Out loud, he said. "Lady Morella. The Emperor Turhan's third wife is coming here?"

"Yes," Londo confirmed. "A most important visit. In more ways than you can imagine."

"But," Vir asked questioningly. "How did you --?"

"I told her," Londo said almost pompously. "I wished to give her a tour of _Babylon 5_ to show her how our new treaty with Earth, will enhance the cause of all Centauri." He paused to let that sink through what he thought was Vir's very thick skull. "Things are going very well. Why not take advantage of it?"

As Londo started to head towards the door, he issued the instructions, that Vir had been dreading. "Now hurry," Londo said. "We must prepare for her visit. From now on things must go smoothly."

Londo stopped dead in his tracks, as he stepped through the door of his quarters. The corridor was a hive of activity as people of all races seemed to be rushing around. It looked to him as though they would rather be anywhere but here. "Great Maker," he muttered. "Now what?"

Quickly, he stepped out into the corridor, intercepting the closest passer-by. A Minbari. "You," he asked. "What's going on?"

"Haven't you heard," the male Minbari said. "The Earth Alliance has just declared martial law."

_Oh, no_. Londo thought.

TBC


	4. Point of No Return

**Chapter 4 - Point of No Return (Version 3B Revised and Complete)**

**Acknowledgement: **Thanks Skeet aka 'AlbertG' for having a read through and catching my mistakes.

**Chapter 4**

In the transporter room, Captain Styles and Commander Garret awaited the arrival of the party from _Enterprise_. 

Glancing at the transporter tech, Styles ordered. "Energize."

A moment later, three columns of light appeared on the transporter platform, the visible light reflecting off the pane of transparent aluminium that covered the front of the transporter operator's cubicle, before fading to show the forms of Captain Picard and two others. The one with the golden skin and eyes, Styles recognized from earlier. But, the other he didn't. He was dark skinned, with disconcerting artificial looking blue eyes.

"Welcome aboard, Captain," Styles said. Stepping forward and gesturing for Picard's party to step off the pads and formally come aboard.

Stepping off, Picard shook Styles hand, "Captain, Commander," Picard said. "May I present Lieutenant Commanders Data, Chief of Operations and Geordi LaForge, my Chief Engineer."

"Commander, Captain." Both said shaking Styles' and Garret's hands

"If you'll follow me," Styles was saying turning to the doors. "The rest of my command staff is waiting in the observation lounge on deck two."

O-O-O

Captain John Sheridan was not pleased. He held in his hand, the single most aggravating piece of paper he had ever seen. It was the executive order to declare martial law. He knew it was going to be coming. But, he hadn't wanted it to come. 

"Captain," Commander Susan Ivanova asked. "Are you all right?"

He couldn't answer her immediately. Instead, he held the order out for her to see. After a moment, he muttered. "The order came in." He couldn't look at her. He didn't want to see the expression on her face. "Tell the others," he said, "martial law, effective immediately…"

O-O-O

Entering the observation lounge, Picard glanced round, familiarizing himself with the surroundings. The room was about the same size as his lounge, although the layout was different. The conference table, large enough to seat about twelve, was centrally placed, with five of the seats occupied after Styles and Garret had sat down. The fore wall was dominated by a large screen, mirroring the one on the bridge, sandwiched between two entrances. The rear wall contained four room height windows, while two smaller screens were located on each wall. Before taking his seat to the left of Commander Garret, Picard took the opportunity to take a hard look out into space admiring the beautiful lines of his own starship visible astern.

"Gentlemen," Styles said formally bringing the meeting to order, "if I can have your attention." As Styles said this, the quiet murmuring that had been taking place, muted and his and Picard's crew looked towards him. "Before we begin, there is the matter of the chain of command and who has seniority. I think that before we discuss our current situation, we need to sort out who should be in overall command. Should Picard or I take command?"

Though Picard covered his surprise quickly, it was clear that Picard hadn't expected this to come up yet. _But_, he thought. _All things, considered. I suppose we should get this out the way now. That way it won't crop up later during a crisis situation_. "You raise a valid point." Picard said. "Data," there were a few curious glances at the android, as those on Styles crew realized, that he was a sentient machine. "What do the regulations say about the chain of command in such a situation?"

"Captains," Data said "Regulation 191 (Article 14): 'In a combat situation involving more than one ship, command falls to the vessel with tactical superiority.' However, our position here is unique, in that we are no longer in a known combat situation. But, instead in a position where we do not know what the tactical situation is. In the-"

"Data!" Picard said.

"Yes, Captain?"

"Shut up."

"Actually," Styles said with a relieved expression. "I agree with that. If the _Enterprise_ hadn't provided additional firepower during our little skirmish with the Klingons, I serious doubt we'd have survived."

"Captain," Ferrer said from further down the table. "You're not actually agreeing to hand over command."

"No, Lieutenant Ferrer." Styles explained. "I'm not handing over command to him. What I'm saying is that while we both retain command of our vessels. Command of this 'unit', that is _Challenger_ and _Enterprise_, will come under Captain Picard. That's what Article 14 of Regulation 191 means. It also means that any other vessels that should make it here would fall under his jurisdiction as well." He looked round the table, making sure he got everyone's eyes. "Are, there any further objections. If not, I now hand this meeting over to Captain Picard."

"All right," Picard said. "We know that we are not where we are supposed to be. Does anyone know how this transference took place? "

Beside him, Data folded his hands, looking thoughtful as he went into lecture mode. "I have accessed all Federation data regarding parallel universes. Most of the information is apocryphal or purely theoretical. However, there is one recorded instance of a Starfleet crew having experienced a parallel universe."

"When and where?

"Captain," Styles said. "I think, Lieutenant Commander Kyle can answer the when."

Leaning forward, the white-haired, bearded chief engineer began to speak. "There where is actually rather difficult to explain. But, the when is September 7th 2267; the personnel being members of the command crew of NCC-1701."

"Kirk's _Enterprise_." Picard murmured.

"Yes," Kyle answered. "At the time, I was a chief warrant officer, aboard that vessel assigned as a transporter supervisor.

"How come this event isn't in your service jacket?

"One word: Classified." Kyle told Commander Garret. "By rights, I should not even be telling you."

Garret smiled. "Don't worry. We won't tell the admiralty."

"Please continue." Picard told him.

"The transference," Kyle said, "began as a transporter mishap."

"A transporter mishap?" Geordi said. "Don't you people have safety measures built into your transporters?" Geordi was thinking he might have some work to do on them. But, his fears were unfounded.

"At the time of the mishap, transporters simply didn't have the fail safes that the ones on this ship and yours have. In fact, it was on my recommendation and that of Scotty's, that some of them were added." Kyle went on with his story. "The _Enterprise_ was in orbit of Omicron Indi III, a planet called Halka. The ship was to negotiate with the planetary government to start mining for dilithium crystals. Unfortunately, they did not go well. Out of fear that the crystals might be used for warlike purpose, the Halkans refused.

"I was tasked, at that point, with beaming Kirk's party back on board. The process started normally. But, space in the area was experiencing a level nine ion storm. Captain Kirk had wanted to wait till the storm calmed down. Unfortunately, the local government wanted them off the planet. So, we didn't wait."

"You transported during a level nine storm." Picard said, stunned at the thought of doing such a dangerous thing.

"It was during the re-materialization process, that the crew realized something was 'off' you might say. In their reports, they described the feeling, as likening to 'running off a cliff, and suddenly realizing that there's only air beneath your feat.'"

"When the process was complete," Kyle said. "They found themselves in an equivalent transporter room. But an _I_SS-1701 – an Imperial starship, the flagship of a brutal, savage and undisciplined 'Terran Empire.'"

"I take it a way was found to bring them back?"

"Yes, sir." Crewman Samno said. He was representing _Challenger_'s science department. "Unfortunately, that solution won't work here. The solution developed by the NCC-1701's chief engineer, was dependent on the ion storm - in our case, the anomaly - being present in the both universes at the same spatial location. And that's not the case here."

"Furthermore," Data said speaking up, "that solution only worked, because it involved only the transporters, not entire starships."

O-O-O

"Lieutenant," Petty Officer T'Jen announced.

Foster turned to the crewman. "Yes, T'Jen."

She was a young dark haired half Human, half Vulcan, which if rumour was to be believed, was a descendant of T'Pol the first Vulcan to work with a human crew. "We're receiving data from the probe we sent into the star system ahead. Telemetry confirms that it is Ross 614 B, also known as Orion VIII. No subspace activity." She paused as she read some new information just coming up on her screen. "Curious. The probe has just…"

Foster didn't wait to hear the rest of her report. He was already reaching for the intercom control on the side of the command chair.

O-O-O

"_Bridge to Captain St_yles." The voice of Lieutenant Foster said. "_We're starting to receive data from the probe we sent in system_."

Touching a control, built into the table where Styles sat, the Challenger captain asked. "Report."

"_The nearby system_," Foster said after a moment, during which he had probably moved from the command chair to the science station. "_Has been identified as Orion VII or Ross 614 B. It is near identical to the star system we are familiar with in our own universe. With the exception of an unidentified structure in it's outer region. Furthermore, we have not been able to detect any subspace transceiver activity_."

"That's strange," Styles said. "There should be a lot of activity. No activity at all?"

"_Hold on_." Foster said. "_I am detecting a lot of tachyon activity. It seems to be artificially generated! I'm detecting modulations in the emissions_."

"Captains," Garret said. "It is possible it could be communications. Lieutenant, tie your readings into my station."

"_Aye, Sir. One moment_." There was a pause, as he worked. In the background, much too quiet to make out properly, was another voice. Eventually, Foster came back on the line. "_Sir_," he began. "_It appears to be an audio-visual news broadcast. I'm patching it through to you now. I think you'll find you want to see this."_

"On screen."

The main screen flickered, changing from a computer generated image of the ship's port side, to a scene that had clearly been intercepted from a military broadcast by the news network. At the bottom right of the screen, were the letters 'ISN.'

Everyone, around the table, could see that the broadcast was showing a running battle between like designed warships. The warships, Picard thought, looked bulky and cumbersome with a large rotating centre section. He wondered if it was meant to generate centrifugal gravity. The newsreader, was giving a running account of what was happening. Picard listened.

"_Repeating this special bulletin_." A female voice said. "_We have just received this raw footage of a firefight between EarthForce ships, taking place even now at the transfer point on Io. The main vessel has been positively identified as the _Alexander…" the screen changed mid-sentence to a view of the newsreader, a human woman dressed in a black long-sleeved blouse. "…_under the command of General William Hague. The _Alexander_ and her two companion vessels have been surrounded by EarthForce cruisers and ordered to surrender. The _Alexander_ has refused to surrender and is calling other EarthForce divisions to oppose President Clark. For the first time since the Mars Rebellion, Earth vessels are fighting one another_." The image changed back, to show the running battle. "_The _Excalibur_ and the _Schwatzkopf_ have been hit,in a delaying tacticallowing the_ Alexander _and her companions to escape into hyperspace._" The screen now showed three ships escaping into yellowish energy vortexes. A second later, the screen changed again to the newsreader. "_It is widely believed, that General Hague's revolt was in response to President Clark's dissolution of the Earth Alliance Senate and the declaration of martial law, which as we speak, has been extended to _Babylon 5_. When asked about the declaration, representatives of President Clark have stated that it was in response to the continuing accusations of a conspiracy against the government and that it will remain in force until the crisis is resolved. In other news_-"

As the reader informed her audience of the last part, there were mutterings of 'lies,' and a few shaking their heads. Both crews' expressions were dark. They didn't like what they were hearing.

"Screen off," Styles said, looking disgusted. The screen reverted to its previous view. "Thomas, I want this broadcast continually monitored. Let us know if anything else comes up in it."

"Aye, Sir. Foster out."

"Well." Styles said, trying to get his expression back under control. "It would seem that this Earth has just had a quiet coup de tat. I think we're witnessing the change of a democracy into a totalitarian state."

"Indeed," Data said agreeing.

As Picard had been issuing his orders, Styles and Garret had been issuing their own. A few minutes later, Styles crew and Commander LaForge filed out to carry out their own orders. Data though waited behind for Picard. 

But, as Picard was getting ready to get up, he noted that Styles had hung back. "Captain," Picard said. "Something else?"

"Yes, Captain," Styles said. "Since it seems that we are going to be stuck here a while. I we should carry on with my ships' upgrades."

Picard nodded. He could see Styles' point of view. "Go on."

"Mr. Samno, the chief warrant officer I have running my science department, was thinking that we could upgrade our computer core. It would allow us to have quicker response times and enable us to better support you."

"I don't see a problem with that," Picard said. "Before we were diverted to the anomaly, we were on route to _Starbase 105 _to deliver a new core to the _USS Lakota_. I don't see why we couldn't install it aboard your ship. It would only take about twelve hours."

O-O-O

In the Command and Control facility of Babylon 5, Ivanova glanced back from where she stood at the observation dome towards the entrance at the rear when she heard the door open and heavy foot steps enter the room. It was Citizen G'kar, former Ambassador of the Narn Regime. Knowing that it wasn't safe for him, she quickly approached him. "G'kar," she asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving all of us," G'kar said. "I've had-" he paused as an officer passed behind him. He wasn't entirely sure who could be trusted. "-an idea."

O-O-O

"Where you been, Zack?" The Night Watch representative said. He was a tall man in his thirties with blond hair, that was just starting to thin at the front. He had a very malicious grin on his face. "You missed all the fun."

_Too malicious_, Sergeant Zack Allen thought. _My God. The Captain was right_. "I was in a meeting," he told his supervisor. Playing his part. "With the captain, the chief and G'kar. At 0300, a ship's going to dock in bay nine. It will be carrying a couple hundred Narns from one of their colonies. They're being brought in to replace us. They wanted me to help them, but I can't. I just can't do it." What he had said to his supervisor was the truth, mostly. Some of it was a lie. He could, and would help them. There was no ship. The Narns in question were already here.

"We'll be there when the ship come in…" the supervisor was saying, falling for the lie."…and we'll catch them in the act of sedition, before they can organize." The supervisor put his hand reassuringly on Zach's shoulder, making Zack feel like he needed a shower. "You did the right thing, Zack. You did the right thing."

_Well, the trap is s_et. Zack thought.

O-O-O

"Hey. Hey," Security Chief Michael Garibaldi asked, "you all right?

"Yeah, yeah." Zack said, as Garibaldi helped him up, from where he had dived under the rapidly closing pressure door.

"Okay," Garibaldi said, "you did the right thing."

"You know, Zack said. "Everyone keeps saying that. I don't know who means it anymore. But, yeah. Maybe this time I did."

Approaching, Captain Sheridan, Zack informed him. They're all yours, Captain." As he said that, he pulled off the Night Watch armband he wore tossing it at the ground. It reminded him too much of the Geheime Staatspolizei, or the old Nazi state secret police.

"Thanks, Zack." Sheridan turned to Garibaldi, telling him, "Bring them in."

Garibaldi spoke into the link affixed to the back of his hand, ordering the security personnel that were still loyal to come in and help with the arrest.

As Garibaldi did this, Sheridan activated his own link. "Activate PA."

O-O-O

Sealed in the bay, the Night Watch personnel were quickly degrading from an organized force into a rabble. They were climbing the walls and each other, trying to find a way out. While many more called out for each other to find some kind of exit. They were worried that they might just be spaced. They knew that if they failed in their attempting to arrest the command crew, they could be spaced for committing mutiny. 

Then the Public Address system activated, stunning them into silence. "_This is the captain. If I can have your attention_." The Night Watch supervisor was stunned. He had been led into a trap by his own second. "_As of this time, 0315 Earth Standard Time_…"

O-O-O

Behind Sheridan, many of Babylon 5's security force was not pleased at what Night Watch had attempted. In fact, Sheridan thought as he continued speaking. Some of them look ready to ram heads into the bulkhead. "…I am placing you under arrest for conspiracy to mutiny and failure to obey the chain of command." As Sheridan said this, Ivanova and Garibaldi shared a glance.

O-O-O

As Sheridan said this, many of the Night Watch, began to look worried. Had they followed an incorrect procedure? It was beginning to look like they had. The public address continued. The entire station's population heard it. Night Watch was being shut down. "_The order for Night Watch to take over Babylon 5 security came from the Political Office. The Political Office, despite its connection to the president is a civilian agency outside the direct chain of command_."

O-O-O

"Orders affecting military personnel must come from within the military hierarchy…" Sheridan stated, looking at each of his command staff. Zack Allan, Michael Garibaldi, Doctor Stephen Franklin, the chief medical officer, and Susan Ivanova, his executive officer; this part was for them also. They needed to know why he was placing Night Watch personnel under arrest. "…starting from the president, through the joint chiefs of staff to your immediate superior officers. A senator cannot give you a direct order. A governor cannot give you a direct order and neither can the Political Office. Make no mistake, this is an illegal order…"

O-O-O

_"…Now, we've contacted Earth Dome and requested confirmation of this order through proper channels. But, since we seem to be having trouble with communications this may take several days. Until then, you have two choices: You can stay where you are_," at this Sheridan's voice became almost pleased. "_Or you can leave, one at a time_."

O-O-O

Smiling now, Sheridan added. "On your way out, you'll turn in your link, identicard and weapons. You'll be restricted to quarters until the revised orders come in. When that happens, anyone who wants to file a complaint against me can do so. Otherwise, have a pleasant stay."

O-O-O

"I don't believe this," the Night Watch supervisor grumbled. The others simply looked at one another and the speakers hidden high above.

"_Oh, and one other thing. If I were you, I wouldn't use my weapons on the air locks_." From the look on some faces, it was clear that many had thought of doing just that. "_They're a solid beryllium alloy. The ricochet is a killer_."

O-O-O

Activating his link again, Sheridan said, "PA off." He turned to his dark skinned CMO. "Doc," Sheridan said. "I'm going to need you to stay around for a while in case anyone ignores my warning and tries to burn his way through."

"You got it." Franklin said.

"You do realize," Ivanova told him, "this is a temporary solution. As soon as Clark finds out about this, he'll reissue the order personally. Then we'll be right back to square one."

"Not if they straighten things out back home, or Hague pulls off another coup," Sheridan answered. "We need to buy time for that to happen."

"One thing I'm not clear on," Franklin asked. "Keeping everyone in there is going to cut our security patrols in half. Doesn't that worry anybody?"

"Not really." Garibaldi said. He turned to call down the corridor. "We've got some help for a change. "

A second later, twenty to thirty Narns came down the corridor with Citizen G'kar at the lead. He came to halt before Sheridan and Ivanova, saluting in the Narn style. A placing of hands together in a fist.

You're kidding," Franklin said, before amending his statement. "You're not kidding?" Franklin could just see the number of Centauri and Narn running to his med-lab after incidents.

"Always," Sheridan said. "Plant a lie inside a truth. It makes it easier to swallow."

"Oh boy," Franklin said. "Londo is gonna to love this."

"Hell, yeah." Sheridan agreed.

O-O-O

Inside the bay, Private Halley Sanders, a short petite young woman with short dark hair, looked at her supervisor pulling her armband off. She wanted nothing more to do with Night Watch.

"Ah," the NightWatch supervisor said in a malicious voice. "Another traitor."

O-O-O

Entering Sheridan's office, Susan Ivanova headed towards the captain, where he stood at the window looking out onto the Garden of _Babylon 5_. He looked worried. Well, she thought. If he's worried, I should be too. Ivanova was a pessimist. After all, with our removal of Night Watch, it'll only be a matter of time before we've got an EarthForce fleet is breathing down our necks. "Ambassador Delenn just got back," she told him "She wants to know everything that's happened."

"Good, good." Sheridan said back, turning to her.

She looked down. _Oh no. _She thought._ Now I'll have to tell him_.

"Was there anything else?"

"I just saw a report on ISN." Somehow, Sheridan thought. Ivanova managed to leek even more pessimistic. "Four of the five cruisers that defected with General Hague have been shot down. They say, he's on the run and they expect to capture him the next time he exits hyperspace."

Knowing he had to lift not just his own mood up. But, that of Commander Ivanova's as well, he sad. "Well, he won't go down without a fight."

Looking up, she added. "No, sir. No he won't."

"They," he said, "will be coming for us next, you know."

"I know," Ivanova replied. "I never thought it would end like this."  
**  
**"Me either."

O-O-O

Five days later, the senior officers were once again in conference, this time aboard the _Enterprise_. Present were Styles, Picard, Riker, Garret, Kyle, LaForge, Data, Yar and Crewman Samno.

"Can I have your attention?" Picard began, bringing the meeting to order. "It's time to decide our future. Over the past few days, we have been picking up news broadcasts and military communiqués from Earth. All indicating that it is now in the control of a totalitarian regime under a President Morgan William Clark." He paused and looked around the table, making sure he had their gazes. "It is clear, that we cannot go there for help. Given the stance the government, known as the 'Earth Alliance,' has taken against 'aliens.' And with the four hundred non–humans in our crews, that door is closed." Picard continued. "Though the Earth Alliance has declared martial law, the Earth colonies of Mars, Proxima III and Orion VII have refused it and are threatening to break away."

"You can bet," Riker said from where he sat beside Picard. "That Clark will do everything he can to avoid losing them. He'll probably try to blockade the planets."

"From the intercepted communiqués we've picked up," Garret said. "It's clear that he's threatened to bomb dissenting colonies into submission."

"The probe," Data said. "That we sent to Sector 001 has picked up fleet of vessels, similar to the ones we saw on the news broadcast the other day, gathering in Earth orbit. So, it would seem that is President Clark's intention."

"Captain," LaForge asked. "How does the Prime-"

He was cut off, by the sound of the yellow alert going off.

O-O-O

**To be continued….**

**Authors Note: -**This is the revised and complete Chapter 4. I did have the chapter largely written yesterday. However, I felt the reactions of the _Challenger_ and _Enterprise_ crew to the news broadcast needed to be darker.

So I rewrote the chapter, adding additional scenes and altering others. Then I brought the chapter into line with the end of the B5 episode 'Point of No Return.'

I have given this chapter the same title. I think it is appropriate for all three crews. _B5_/_Challenger_ and _Enterprise_. The _B5_ crew because they take the steps that will lead them to break away from Earth and in the case of _Challenger_ and _Enterprise_, the realisation that they can't go home.

Chapter 3 had originally been called 'Point of No Return.' However, I changed it when I realised, that this chapter better suited the title.


	5. First Contact Part 1

**Chapter 5 **

Captain's Log, 04/14/2260-1145: -It seems as though the _Challenger_ has become a magnet for temporal anomalies. As can be seen from the entry timestamp, we have travelled through time. And now it seems as though we have passed into another universe. To make matters worse, I have been told, there is no way for us to return.

O-O-O

"Report," Picard demanded over the din of the alert alarm. As he asked this, the rest of the senior officers took up their normal post. LaForge headed for the turbo-lift, with the officers from _Challenger_, on his way to engineering.

"Sensors have just picked up an energy spike from the array, Captain." Crusher replied as he got up from the command chair, to take his place at the helm.

"On screen, magnify." Picard said as he took his seat next to Riker.

The main screen flickered, showing an array of long struts three kilometres long in what looked vaguely like a dock of some kind. Only, they had determined from theirs scans of the array, that they were generators of some sort. But what it generated, they did not know – yet. They had also noticed that it contained a previously unknown element.

Now though, within the array, a series of controlled explosions passed down the length of the struts, until finally a vortex formed within it. A moment later, a large grey blocky vessel shot out. The blue vortex collapsed behind it. Staring at the vessel, Picard noted that its middle section spun slowly creating a centrifugal force.

The vessel was massive. But it was bulky with none of the smooth lines of the _Enterprise_. Even the _Challenger_ had smoother lines than this ship. The message it was giving out was clear. It was a warship.

At the operations station, Data was tapping his controls. "According to intercepted EarthForce communiqués, it's an Omega-class destroyer." He paused, as a new reading appeared on his readouts. "Sir, it's on a direct course for what we've confirmed is the Orion VII colony. That course will take it past our co-ordinates in one minute sixteen seconds. Average velocity equates to point eight-seven percent impulse."

"No inertial dampers, Riker murmured. Picard just nodded slightly, silently agreeing with him.

"Sir," Yar said. "_Challenger_, signalling she's ready for combat manoeuvres at your command."

"Signal for them to standby." Picard commanded.

"One minute to intercept…"

"Mr. Crusher, hold our relative position to the destroyer," Picard ordered. "Instruct _Challenger_ to match, but to close to within one hundred metres of ourselves."

"Slowly," Riker added. "They can't travel that fast. I' don't think we should let them know that we can either."

Picard nodded in agreement.

"Hold relative position, aye; instruct _Challenger_ to close to within one hundred metres of us, slowly, aye."

A new alarm sounded at the tactical station.

"Sir," Yar reported. "EarthForce destroyer signalling. Audio only."

"Open a channel," Picard said.

"_This is Captain John Simpson of the _EAS Odysseus," the male voice said commandingly, "_to unidentified vessels. You are in a restricted sector of Earth Alliance_ _territory. Identity yourselves or be destroyed_."

"Lieutenant Yar," Riker quietly commanded. "Tactical analysis."

Yar grinned as she gave her report. The grin alone told Riker and Picard, that the _Odysseus_ was no match for them. The _Enterprise_ and _Challenger_ had the destroyer outgunned. They listened anyway, so they could learn the specifics. "Sensors detect minimal armaments; multiple particle lasers, multiple plasma cannons and a pair of missile launchers. It also has multiple energy projectors of some kind. "Not much power behind them. It also has some sort of energy projection system."

"Captain Simpson," Picard replied more pleasantly than he really felt. "I am Jean-Luc Picard, Captain of the Federation starship _Enterprise_."

"_Human names,_" Simpson responded. "_Given the names of yourself and your quaint vessels. I have to assume that you are part of the rebellion against President Clark. As such, I order you to surrender your vessels and prepare to be boarded._" As Simpson was saying this, Picard could see numerous small fighter craft exiting a bay on the front of the _Odysseus_. The fighters seemed to be shaped like an 'X' while the pods were roughly conical with four landing pads at the narrow end, and four engines at the wide rear. They were turning towards the two starships. "_You have twenty seconds to comply._"

_Boarding Pods? _Picard thought. _Don't they have transporters? It would seem not_, he decided.

"Captain Simpson," Picard responded sternly. "I will not surrender this ship or my companion. If any of your craft should come within one hundred metres of this ship or the _Challenger_, then you run the risk of the said craft being severely damaged or even destroyed." As he finished his statement, he turned to Lieutenant Yar at the tactical station, making a slashing gesture across his throat; ordering the channel closed. "All hands, battle stations."

O-O-O

Aboard the _EAS Odysseus_,_ Captain_ Simpson was worried.

He had exited the Orion VII jump gate intending to cut the _EAS Alexander_ off from any avenue of escape. Only it hadn't worked out as planned. On re-entering real space he had encountered two vessels of unknown design, and questionable origin. The designs were very alien, though they apparently had human-based names. It seemed as though the rebels were getting help from this 'Federation' and had somehow gotten word again of the ambush. Simpson had done the only thing he could. He ordered them to surrender.

On the monitor at the front of his command deck, he could see the two vessels. Both were similarly designed, a large circular or oval saucer attached to a smaller second hull by a neck-like structure. At the end of the lower second hulls, he could see a pair of pylons leading to a pair of nacelles. He noted that the larger vessel was about frigate-sized at six hundred and forty-two metres; while the other was only a corvette at three hundred and five metres.

"_Captain Simpson, I will not surrender this ship or my companion. If any of your craft comes within a hundred metres of this ship or the_ Challenger, _I will destroy them_."

"Don't be a…" Simpson began. But he was cut off by his com officer.

"They broke contact," the officer in question said.

"Starfuries," Simpson said simply. "Commence attack."

O-O-O

For the second time in five days, the _Challenger _bridge was bathed in the deep red emergency lighting that was the norm during a red alert.

"Enemy fighters," Foster called out from the tactical station, "moving in on attack vector. They're attempting to lock on."

"Initiate flak barrage; fire at will." Styles said responding to the threat.

He was glad they had finally managed to get the new countermeasure system fully operational. When his ship had been deployed to patrol the Klingon Neutral Zone back in his own time, the system had only been partially installed. Over the past few days, he had made it a priority, figuring that most combat hereabouts heavily involved fighters. Though the system had been developed to counter torpedoes; extending shield endurance by firing pulses of anti-matter at the incoming torpedoes, attempting to make them detonate before they impacted the shields. Styles believed it could also be a good deterrent against fighters. _It worked during the Second World War against fighters and bombers after all, so why not here?_ Styles thought.

A beat later; "Helm, navigation," Styles commanded. "Take us in one-fortieth relative impulse power. Work your way through the fighter screen to the destroyer."

"Aye, Sir," his navigator and helmsman responded together. They were getting to become a good team, Styles noted. Though Crewman Burke complied with the order, he did look questioningly at Styles. He was curious as to why he had ordered them to crawl.

"I want to keep our max sub-light velocity a secret. Right now, that's one of our aces."

On the screen, Styles could see the small fighters. He thought they couldn't be longer than one of his type-3 shuttlecraft, and probably just as weak. But, there were swarms of them. _Individually_, he thought, _they are no threat. But, if they attack in waves instead, they will be._

O-O-O

In the Aurora-class starfury designated _Gamma 1_, Lieutenant Hiroyoshi Nishizawa, angled his fighter towards the smaller alien ship, going into a dive, his wingman echoing his moves, firing away at the spurts of white particles that were emerging from the points all over the hull. It was, Nishizawa thought some sort of flak barrage and three 'furies had been hit by them, forcing their pilots to eject**.  
**  
He was aiming for the yellow rectangles on the pearl-white saucer at what he thought were pulse cannons and so established a visual lock. Like Minbari war cruisers, they had not been able to get a proper lock on. Only his laser range finder worked, and that was only useful, for telling him when to pull out of his dive.

When his range finder showed he was only twenty metres from the hull, he pulled out of the four g dive firing his twenty-mill pulse cannons as he did so. But instead of hitting the ship, they hit some type of barrier that for an instant flashed blue. _Damn_, he thought.

An instant later, his guess about the cannons was confirmed as he saw the closer one turning towards him. Instinctively, he jinked his fighter to the starboard, putting his fighter into a barrel roll that took him inverted over the top of the saucer as a beam of orange energy lanced out towards his fighter. He was the lucky one, his wingman, Jenny Milbourn, wasn't so lucky. Her starfury blew apart.

Pulling away from the annoyingly hard to hit ship, he activated his communications system. "_Gamma 1_ to command," he said. "Attack run one failed. Repeat, attack run one failed. Target is protected by some kind of energy field. It deflected my pulse cannon bolts."

"_Understood_ Gamma 1_...standby._" There was a pause, as the communications tech consulted the Captain. "_Message from Command: Fire in the hole_."

Knowing what was about to happen, Nishizawa got back on his radio as he put he poured on the velocity. "All fighters, break, break break!" he said.

O-O-O

Several seconds into the engagement, _Challenger_'s bridge was now a hive of activity, as the various officers and personnel present made reports or acknowledged reports from below decks. Lieutenant Foster's voice cut through this multitude of overlapping voices. "Four enemy fighters destroyed; firing phasers."

Across the bridge at the science station, Crewman Samno was sweating. The new sensors were a godsend, allowing him to see much more than he could with the old sensors. Unfortunately, they also showed him too much. Filtering out the non-essential information was proving hard. As such, it was for this reason, he almost missed the warning his station was giving him. "Sir," he shouted. "Energy spike from the destroyer. She's firing."

"Evasive action, hard to port!" Styles commanded. "On screen."

On his screen at the science station, Samno saw the fighters suddenly break their formation apart to reveal the _Odysseus_ bearing down on them, firing bolts of yellow energy from a pair of cannons on its bow. On the main screen at the fore of the bridge, Captain Styles could see the same thing.

O-O-O

On board the starfury _Delta 3_, Ensign Mark Hollins watched as the _Odysseus'_ plasma pulses flew towards the rapidly turning starship, the first couple missed, having been aimed before the starship began turning. But, the remainder impacted the shields on the saucer's starboard side, they flared a bright blue as they hit. This was followed a moment later, by a pair of red beams from the x-ray/particle lasers. Both the beams were firing, doubling their firepower. Judging by how bright the beams were, they were firing at full power. It lasted for several seconds, during which the _Challenger'_s shields had sparked and flared.

O-O-O

Aboard _Challenger_, Captain Styles looked around the bridge, making sure no one had been seriously injured, and was pleased to see none had. Only a few had fallen to the deck as the ship had rocked violently from the impacts to her shields; they were now returning to their posts and checking their stations.

"Shields holding at eighty percent," Foster announced.

"Sickbay reports only minor casualties," Garret said from communications. "Mostly contusions; Doctor McCoy has a broken arm." She grinned; she knew of Captain Styles' hatred of the McCoy family.

Glaring at the main screen, he ordered. "Return fire! Take out those turrets; maximum firepower."

O-O-O

In _Delta 3_, Hollins looked on in growing horror, as the _Challenger_'s four starboard cannons opened fire. Turning his starfury to look back at the _Odysseus_, he saw just how precise the _Challenger_'s weapons were. The orange beams impacted the starboard particle laser turret dead on, blasting it away. He could see the _Odysseus_ wildly doing its own turn to starboard. Vainly trying to get out of the precision fire, as the turn presented more targets. _It's like the damn Earth-Minbari War,_ he thought. There, the Earth Alliance ships were virtually slaughtered by the Minbari as their weapons cut through the Earth Alliance armour like a hot knife through butter.

"_Collision alert, collision alert," the fighter's computer suddenly announced._

_In response to the alert, he quickly checked his scanners noting he was too close to the boarding pod he was supposed to be escorting. He banked briefly to the port, as the pod flew by. He quickly joined up with it; resuming his role as an escort, rather than an observer. "Breaching Pod Alpha to Delta 3" a gruff male voice said over the communications system. "Watch it, Lieutenant. You're of no use to us dead."_

"_I wish I were," he muttered._

"_What was that, Delta 3?"_

"_Nothing," Hollins responded._

"_Good. Now listen up."_

"_I'm listening." He told him._

"_I've got an idea to get past the shields of the smaller vessel. I've been monitoring the sensors, and I've noticed that every point zero-zero-two seconds, we do get a reading…"_

O-O-O

"Damage report!" Captain Simpson demanded when the _Odysseus_ had stopped her shuddering.

"Sir," his executive officer called up from a damage station. "We just lost both forward port x-ray particle laser and heavy pulse cannons. Gunnery crews for those cannons are not answering comms."

"Sir," another officer called. "_Challenger_ is turning toward."

"Put it back on screen."

On the screen, he saw the _Challenger_ turning to face the _Odysseus_. A moment later, as the starships turn ended, it spat out a pair of red glowing balls that flew towards his ship.

"Rig ship for impact," he said strapping into his chairs safety harness. "Sound collision."

"All interceptors," the executive officer ordered. "Open fire!"

O-O-O

In contrast, to the _Challenger_'s bridge, the _Enterprise_ Bridge was a calm quiet. After having spent their entire careers at war, this sort of engagement had become the norm. Even with the constant vibration from the multitude of low powered plasma bolts from the fighters, everyone remained calm. They had been through a lot worse.

"Captain," Data said. "The _Challenger _has just opened fire."

"On screen," Picard ordered.

Ahead, the screen changed to show a wide shot of both the _Challenger _and the _Odysseus_, with the fighters buzzing around. On the screen, Picard could see the Challenger's starboard dorsal and ventral phasers lashing out and impact the forward structure of the _Odysseus_, blasting her forward port cannons apart and because of the lack of inertial dampers, giving the destroyer a slight yaw rotation to starboard. Forcing the vessel to fire its reaction control thrusters to correct the yaw.

"Damage assessment," Riker said looking back at Yar.

"They've lost their forward port weapons," Yar told him. "I'm reading a hole in their armour where the emplacements used to be."

As she spoke, Crusher spoke up from the conn. "Captain," he said. "_Challenger_ turning toward _Odysseus_. She's bringing her torpedoes to bear."

Looking back at the screen, Picard and Riker watched as the _Challenger _fired a pair of torpedoes. "Ensign," Picard said addressing Crusher as he continued to watch the action on the screen "Bring us in closer." A moment later, just as the torpedoes began their final acceleration to hit their targets, the _Odysseus_ began spitting out plasma bolts at the torpedoes rapidly and in such concentration, that it was impossible for the torpedoes to impact and penetrate the destroyer. Instead, coming into contact with the interception fire, the torpedoes detonated prematurely, resulting in severe damage to the forward section, rather than obliterating it.

"Sir," Data said. "The _Odysseus_ appears to be adrift."

O-O-O

Aboard the _Odysseus,_ Captain Simpson looked round his bridge. Everything was in utter chaos for the moment. Sparks were raining down from the ceiling and several consoles were burning. Their operators lying dead or unconscious. _I have to warn EarthDome_. Simpson thought. "Navigator," he said. "Turn us around…"

He broke off, as he saw the shattered pilot's station. The officer's burning corpse lying slumped over it. Instead, he began issuing commands that would transfer command to one of the secondary bridges, in the hope that they could get them moving again.

O-O-O

Taking a surveying course over the _Odysseus_, _Gamma 1_ set his scanners to maximum power to make a more detailed analysis of the damage. Visually, he could see that the forward cowling was essentially crushed. That had him worried. It meant that he and his fellow pilots had no berth to go to…

O-O-O

"Sir," Garret said suddenly from the communications station of the _Challenger_ Bridge . "I'm picking up a distress signal."

Turning quickly to face Garret, Styles asked her. "Is it the _Odysseus_?"

"Negative," Garret answered. "Captain, if I'm reading the identification code correctly, it's the _EAS Alexander_."

To be continued…


	6. First Contact Part II

**Chapter 6**

**Several minutes earlier…**

The command deck of the _EAS Alexander_ was quietly buzzing with activity as the senior officers and crew went about their duties. To the casual observer, this activity would seem normal. But, it was hardly normal as only a few days ago, the crew along with their commanding officer, General William Hague, had become renegades.

A couple hours earlier, Hague along with his executive officer, Major Ed Ryan had been in conference with officials on the Earth-like colony of Orion VII, attempting to gain support for the Clark rebellion. The conference had been largely successful, and they were optimistic that when the time came, they would have a valuable ally against the current Earth Alliance president.

Now, the _Alexander_ was leaving. It was dangerous for the destroyer to remain in one place for too long. Unfortunately, their jump engines had gone down again. They had been temperamental ever since a hit they had taken in the skirmish at the Io transfer point. His engineers had reported it would be another half hour before they had them back online. In the meantime, the _Alexander_ was heading for the local transfer point, over twenty and a half million kilometres away. At their current velocity, it would take them one standard day, an eternity, during which the _Alexander_ could be attacked by EarthForce ships loyal to Earth.

"General," Hague's second officer, the dark skinned Lieutenant Commander Bill Trainor, announced from behind the command chair where he stood supervising the sensor operators. "Jump point forming astern at one thousand kilometres."

"Put it on the monitor," Hague ordered as he looked up at the fore wall.

On it, he could see a view of recently traversed space and the Earth-like planet growing smaller the further they got. For a second, that view changed as the blue vortex of an inbound jump point formed bridging jumps-pace with normal. An instant later, the submarine-like form of an EarthForce Hyperion-class heavy cruiser emerged. Though not as large or as heavily armed as the _Alexander_, this ship could still be dangerous opponent.

"Red alert," Hague said. "Who is it?"

Looking over the shoulder of the blond haired female officer manning the master weapons station, Ryan read the data coming up on the monitors. "Sir," he said. "Identification code says it's the _Clarkstown_. She's signalling."

He nodded at the blond officer, and she touched a control.

A moment later, the communication system came to life. "_This is Captain Anthony Southwarth of the Earth Alliance cruiser_ Clarkstown_. By order of President Clark you are to surrender your command and prepare to be boarded. This is your first and last warning. If you do not surrender, we will be forced to initiate deadly force._"

Surrendering, Hague knew was not an option. "Battle stations!"

In response, an alert klaxon sounded throughout the ship, off duty personnel came on shift, the fighter pilots reporting to their Starfury bays awaiting the order to launch. On the command deck, the activity suddenly increased; as previously powered down systems were brought to ready status.

"Activate defence grid," Ryan ordered. "Navigation: evasive manoeuvres."

Sitting in his command chair, Hague took a look around his bridge as he issued his orders. "Launch fighters," he commanded. "Escort formation."

"Hyperion entering firing range," Trainor stated. "Orders?"

"Interceptors are cleared to take down incoming fire," Hague ordered. "All 'furies, do not fire unless fired upon." He knew the fighters would in the end have to return fire, even the _Alexander_. But, he refused to take the first shot.

"Sir," Trainor announced. "They've locked on…firing!"

O-O-O

Outside, the space between the two EarthForce ships lit up like a fifth of November fireworks display. The red bolts from the _Clarkstown_'s pulse cannons, rapidly crossing the short distance only to be shot down at the last moment by the _Alexander_'s own interception fire.

In retaliation, the Thunderbolt Starfuries protecting _Alexander_ returned the fire with their nose mounted rapid fire plasma pulse cannons attempting to blunt the smaller cruisers offensive strike capability.

O-O-O

Unlike the command deck of the _Alexander_, the _Clarkstown_'s was a zero gravity environment with the command crew literally strapped into their chairs with five-point restraints. Strapped into the command chair, Captain Southwarth was frustrated.

The _Odysseus_ was supposed to be heading into the system at high speed from the local hyperspace jump gate. Instead, it had had an unexpected encounter with two unidentified ships. Now, his ship was locked in combat in what was likely to be a losing engagement for his vessel. His vessel was seriously outdated and outgunned.

The ship shuddered. "Report," Southwarth commanded.

"Sir," his executive officer announced from his station. "They're targeting our forward interceptors."

Southwarth nodded in resignation. "Charge the heavy particle laser cannons."

O-O-O

Ever since martial law had been declared, it seemed to Londo Mollari, everyone was trying to leave the station, himself included, albeit for a different reason. He had been 'requested' yet again by Lord Refa to attend a meeting on Centauri Prime.

"This is absurd!" Mollari muttered to the dark haired and well dressed human waiting behind him in the customs queue waiting to depart _Babylon 5_. "Two hours I have been standing in line. 'Our staff is overwhelmed,' they tell me. 'Too many people trying to get home or escape here. Rumours of rebellion and war. Even the diplomatic lanes are clogged.'"

Mollari too caught up in his complaining, didn't even notice the man rolling his eyes. Silently wishing for the Centauri ambassador to simply drop dead and give him some peace. "Fah," Mollari continued. "If you ask me, I know the real problem. Ever since the Earthers put Narn on their security force…everything has gone to hell."

The human was now quietly nodding, silently wondering if he shouldn't just put a PPG to his head. "They're not very efficient you know," Mollari said pointing a finger rather rudely as emphasis. "You have to keep an eye on them at all times. They-"

He was interrupted, not surprisingly by the Narn security guard. It was his turn to go through the security checkpoint. "Next," the Narn said. Then when he had the Ambassador's attention, he added. "Identicard please."

Mollari handed the card over, which the Narn promptly inserted into his hand-held reader, surreptitiously hitting the cancel control. The reader emitted a complaining bleep. "How strange," the Narn said all too pleasantly. "I'm not getting a confirmation on your identicard."

"Oh please," Mollari said accusingly. "You know who I am."

"Oh, yes," the Narn said. "I know who you are, Ambassador. But the computer, you see, does not. And verification is required prior to entry to the departure lounge. Perhaps, I have entered the data incorrectly. We are, after all, very inefficient. Yes, one must keep an eye on us at all times."

Behind Mollari, the previously irritated human was almost dropping from silent laughter. While he didn't want to be kept waiting, he was quite glad to see the Ambassador get put down.

"All right-" Mollari began to retort.

"In a moment," the guard interrupted. "Meanwhile, we have many others coming through. Please step aside, Ambassador." After Mollari had moved aside, he added. "This shouldn't take more than two or three standard hours…next."

Off to the side, Mollari muttered another curse. "Madness. Total and complete madness! This would never have happened if the humans hadn't started fighting one another."

O-O-O

**Now…**

For a moment, silence reigned on the bridge of _Challenger_.

"Put it on the screen," Styles commanded, breaking the silence.

Looking up, Styles watched the view of the EarthForce destroyer, slowly spinning in space. The port side of their forward armoured cowling was badly crushed, the result of a photonic shockwave that had erupted from the torpedoes when the _Odysseus_ had shot them down. Every Starfleet officer knew it was a bad idea to try to shoot down torpedoes at such close range. The resultant shockwave was often more destructive than the torpedoes themselves.

For now at least, the battle had died down, as the fighters attempted to survey the damaged destroyer attempting to establish contact.

The screen flickered, as the image changed to show an unfamiliar vaguely circular bridge with numerous consoles in the background, one prominent console was what looked like a glass free-standing plot display, similar to the one in the _Enterprise_'s conference room.

But, that wasn't what caught Styles attention. It was the person sitting in what was presumably the command chair. His uniform was very martial in appearance. A light navy blue in color with a wide brown leather stripe down the right half of the uniform. On the left breast was an insignia, a stylized combination of the letters 'A' and 'E.' The leather epaulets atop each shoulder had what Styles thought were rank insignia. Looking at the thinly bearded officers blue eyes, he could feel the unmistakable command presence.

"EAS Churchill" the EarthForce officer said. "_This is General William Hague of the Earth Alliance ship _Alexander in grid Orion_. We're under attack! We've taken damage to the jump engines and have lost contact with our med-lab. Captain Hiro-"_

The transmission abruptly broke up into static, preventing any further information being gleaned.

"Get that back! Get that back!" Styles demanded, as the main screen flickered back to the view of the severely damaged _Odysseus_.

At the communications station, Garret quickly went to work, her head shaking in frustration. "I can't," she told him. "Transmission jammed at the source."

Styles nodded in resignation, then turned to the science station. "Full scan," he commanded. "I want to know where they are and what their situation is."

"Scanning sensors," Samno answered.

On the main screen, Styles could see the _Enterprise_ slowly move into view. Her bow pointed straight at the disabled destroyer. 

"Sir," Foster said turning from the tactical station. "Enemy fighters coming from the starboard side, trying to outflank us!"

Reset flak barrage," Styles commanded. "Long range dispersion, initiate when ready."

O-O-O

"_Delta_'s _4_,_ 5, 6 _and_ 7_," Hollins said from his 'fury _Delta 3_. "We're going in! And make damn sure that sensor program I sent you, is running." A moment later, he put actions to his own words, activating his engines and flying towards the starboard side of the vessel calling itself _Challenger_. _Well_, he thought_. I'll give you a challenge_. "Computer: Distance to target?"

"_Seven hundred meters…seven-eighty…seven-seventy…_" the computer responded.

Checking to his left and right sides, he was pleased to see his wing following him in. "At six hundred meters fire your missiles, then get the hell out of there, You don't want to be near when those things go off."

Looking both at his targeting computer and out ahead, he flew his fighter in towards the base of the 'neck', "Computer," he said. "Arm missiles one and two."

"_Missiles armed. Range now seven-thirty…seven-twenty…_"

Just then, the previously localized flak barrage suddenly started being shot out a lot further, the particle blasts began to buffet his fighter around.

"_Seven-ten…six hundred._"

"Fox two, port and starboard!"

O-O-O

"Sir," Yar said looking over to Picard who was sitting in the _Enterprise_'s command chair. "A wing of fighters has just fired a spread of missiles at _Challenger_. Captain they're nukes!"

"On screen, magnify," Picard ordered. "Can you intercept them?"

"Negative," Yar replied. "They're too close to _Challenger_'s hull. Impact in six seconds."

The screen at the fore of the bridge, flicked from an image of the _Odysseus_ to a close-up starboard view of the _Challenger_. He could still see damage from its engagement with the Romulans, clearly visible near the base of the secondary hull. On the screen just visible behind the retreating fighters were the missiles. All ten of them, rapidly closing in on the ships starboard side. In the background, he heard Yar quietly count off the seconds to impact.

O-O-O

When Hollins had retreated far enough, he brought his fighter to a relative halt and turned back to look at his handiwork. Just as the _Challenger_ became visible, he saw the shields flare up and spark at various points all over its starboard side. For the merest instant, he thought the shield had stopped them, but his fears were unfounded, they were still visible and a fraction of a second later, they detonated one after another in blinding flashes.

"_Multiple thermonuclear detonations confirmed_," his fighter reported. "_Alert: Metallic mass detected at nine hundred meters. Bearing zero-zero-eight mark zero-zero-one._"

"All right!" Hollins exclaimed. "Breaching Pod _Alpha_, the EMP knocked out their shields. You may commence your run. All _Delta_'s, you may engage at will."

O-O-O

"Sir, I've located the Alexander..." Samno never finished his report, as a hard force violently impacted against the side of the _Challenger_, shoving it to the port.

In his command chair, Styles grabbed an armrest as he tried to keep from being flung to the deck. All around him he could see his crew fighting their consoles as they crackled and sparked, emitting plumes of acrid electrical smoke that occasionally blocked his view.

"They've found away to penetrate our shields," Foster said over the din of the ships alarms. "Lateral shielding has buckled on decks ten through eighteen." He broke off as another alarm sounded on his console. "Sir, we've got one of those pods coming in fast!"

"Damn!" Styles muttered. "Where's it heading?"

"Starboard docking port," Foster responded quickly. "Deck thirteen."

Styles hit the intercom. "Styles to security," he said. "Get a team to the starboard torpedo bay fast. I think they're going to try and board us."

O-O-O

Lieutenant Julie Smith flew the Invader-class breaching pod _Alpha _like a wild animal as she attempted to approach and dock with the vessel calling itself _Challenger_. She was aiming for the circular hatch-like structure on the structure at the base of the neck, just like she'd been ordered to by the GROPOS commander, Colonel Thomas Powell. It was, he had told her, a good breaching point.

"GROPOS stand by," Lieutenant Julie Smith said from her flight controls in breaching pod _Alpha_. "Contact with target…now."

O-O-O

The forward airlock of the breaching pod opened, allowing Powell to see _Challenger_'s hatch.

It was circular he noted, and pearl white just like the rest of the vessel. And written in Earth standard across the hatches midline were the words _USS Challenger NCC-1977 United Federation of Planets_. Between the letters 'n' and 'g' in _Challenger_, and the letters 'T' and 'I' in _Federation_ a thin black line was plainly visible running from the top of the hatch to the base. In the rim of the circular hatch, he could see what looked like a computer interface with touch sensitive controls on the top half and a lever in the bottom

"Sir," Major Philips said. "We're ready to proceed."

"Demolitions," Powell said gruffly, reaching for a hand hold as he felt the floor give out beneath him. The fighters were still firing on the vessel. He felt a rumbling explosion shudder through the deck. "Get that airlock open. And tell those fighters to cease fire. I don't want any friendly fire incidents while we're aboard."

"Yes Sir," Phillips said.

O-O-O

"Captain," Garret said. "I've got Commander Kyle on the line."

"Put him on," Styles said. What happened to my shields?"

"_Captain,_" Kyle said. "_I'm only guessing, but I think they figured out our shields aren't static. I'm resetting the shield modulation now._"

"Won't that," Styles began, suppressing a grimace, "mean that we'll have to lower then raise the shields." Styles didn't have to go on. He knew that the process would take a quarter minute."

"_Yes, Sir._" Kyle said knowingly.

The ship shuddered slightly, as a quiet rumbling noise could be heard.

"Stand by," Styles said as he looked up at the main screen showing an exterior view of the starboard torpedo bay and the pod attached to the docking port. "Report."

At the science station, Samno looked at a monitor, and then turned to Styles. "Sir," he said. "They've just breached the outer hatch. Should I activate the emergency force fields?"

"Negative," Styles said, an idea occurring to him. "But keep your fingers on the controls." _Now, _he thought. _If I can just lure them to a turbo-lift._ "Ensign," he said addressing the young Susanna Nechayev at the bridge engineering station. "After the security team arrives, I want you to assume direct control of that turbo-lift…"

O-O-O

As the smoke cleared, Powell could that instead of the outer hatch, was a hole in the shape of the hatch. The hatch itself was just debris, the metallic shards spread out over the floor.

Beside him, Phillips glanced forward noting a second identical hatch about a meter beyond, albeit without the identification writing. Now the demolitions team moved forward and began to place more explosive charges against the hatch as the main assault team readied their Pulsed Plasma Rifles for the charge into the ship.

"Oxygen masks on," a trooper called out. "Fire in the hole!"

The troopers promptly crouched low to the deck, placing oxygen masks on their faces as they briefly turned away from the hatch as the explosives detonated, sending metallic debris in their direction. At the rear of the squad of GROPOS, Powell started giving orders, even before the smoke dissipated. "Move it! Move it! This isn't play school. Get in there and get us control of that alien ship. The person who captures the ships commander gets a week of shore leave!"

O-O-O

"Sir," Garret said. "Security is in position."

"Understood," Styles said as he turned briefly to Nechayev. "Ensign, when they get into the turbo-lift," He said a smile on his face; I want you to send it to the security complex. But, I want you to send it via decks twenty, six and fifteen." Styles turned to Samno. "Stand by on those force fields."

"Standing by," he answered.

O-O-O

"Open fire!" the Andorian Lieutenant Shran said to his team as the inner airlock doors blew apart in a cloud of metallic shrapnel.

An instant later, he put actions to his own orders as he pulled the trigger on his assault phaser pistol, letting a blue beam of phased energy join the other seven lancing out into the milky-white cloud.

The battle was joined as orange bolts of energy preceded what looked like, to Shran anyway, a troop of twentieth-century soldiers wearing everything from the Kevlar combat helmet, various pieces of body armour and load bearing equipment currently loaded up with what looked like various grenades and ammunition for the short stubby looking rifles they were wielding.

The soldiers came through the airlock two at a time firing bolts of orange energy at his security team, sending them for cover behind various pieces of equipment and support struts in the bay as they advanced on. So far, Shran had counted six. But there were clearly more still inside the pod attached to the airlock. He knew that Styles had planned to herd them into the turbo-lift. Unfortunately, it was obvious that wasn't going to work. He flipped his communicator open. "Bridge," Shran said over the din of weapons fire. In the corner of his eye he saw one of his crewmen fall from a hit to the un-armoured knee. The "The plan's not going to work, there's too many of them. Get me a MACO squad over here from _Enterprise_."

O-O-O

"Understood," Picard said as he looked at the image of Styles on the main screen of _Enterprise_'s bridge. Despite the image being focused on Styles himself, Picard could clearly see the console behind Styles giving off smoke as it emitted a thin plume of smoke. "I'll send a squad over." He glanced at Riker sitting next to him.

"Bridge to MACO country," Riker said activating the intercom. "_Strike 1_, your up. Stand by transporter rooms."

O-O-O

Engineering aboard the _Challenger_, was a madhouse. Engineers wearing their white protective garments were everywhere. At the main console, next to the pulsing warp core, Kyle was working away as he studied a diagram of the shield grid and his planned modifications. He was writing a routine that, he hoped anyway, would randomly alter the shield modulation every couple of seconds. He looked up as he heard the intercom go active.

"_Engineering,_" Kyle could hear Styles saying over the roar of the warp core at full power. "_I thought I ordered you to restore the shields._"

"I'm ready to do it now," he answered.

"_Then do it._"

He touched a few controls, and the diagram of the shield grid changed. Now it was just a diagram of the ship. In the corner, a countdown was running. Counting down the seconds: _Fifteen…fourteen…thirteen… _"Bridge," Kyle said, looking up. "Shields are down."

O-O-O

A few seconds earlier, in transporter room one aboard the _Enterprise_, Major Sandra McKenzie and the six members of MACO squad _Strike 1_, were standing on the surrounding transporter pads. McKenzie's features, like the others in her squad, were hidden behind a carbon black combat helmet with an opaque blast in place over faces capable stopping anything short of a type-III phaser compression rifle on its tenth setting. Over the black uniforms they wore, they were wearing a black phaser-proof vest along with a multi-pouched combat harness. Each was visibly armed with the type-IIIB phaser rifle and numerous other weapons including stun grenades and knifes.

As McKenzie stood on her pad, she looked over at one of the other troopers in the squad. "Hudson! Leave the M41A pulse rifle behind." The trooper she was looking at was more heavily armed than the others in _Strike 1_. In his left hand, pointing at the ceiling was a vintage projectile firing assault rifle, while his left held the phaser rifle. In a holster on his back, was a bat'leth he'd taken from a Klingon he'd once killed. "And the bat'leth. You're not going to Qo'nos."

Hudson turned his head and looked at McKenzie. Despite his face being hidden by the blast shield, she could have sworn he was smirking. "But Ma'am," he moaned. "I've never left them behind. They'll be lonely."

"Not as lonely as you'll be," McKenzie growled, "if I have to send you to the brig."

For a moment, Hudson may have been about to protest, then he strode if the platform mumbling some kind of apology to Julie as he deposited the rifle and bat'leth on a nearby workstation. For a moment, McKenzie thought he was talking to the rifle. Then, as he retook his place, a voice boomed over the intercom.

"Challenger" Riker was saying, "_has dropped her shields. You can begin the op._"

"Chief O'Brian," McKenzie was ordering, looking at the Irish transporter chief. "Stun grenades. Lock onto the Earth Alliance boarding pods and energize."

"Aye Ma'am," he replied as he worked his console. "Energizing…"

On the larger central transporter pad, the one used mostly for cargo, were a six stun grenades, placed in a circular pattern. A moment later, they disappeared in a sparkle of the transporter beam.

After a beat, McKenzie looked round her squad, then placing her rifle in the ready position – left hand on the stock, right on the grip and trigger – "_Strike 1_," she said. "Lock and load. Chief O'Brian, energize."

O-O-O

At the pilot's station of Breaching Pod _Alpha_, Lieutenant Julie Smith looked up, startled as she heard a brief whining noise coming from the floor of the deck behind her.

Glancing round, she noticed that there was a small object, cylindrical in shape, which she could fit in the palm of her hand. It seemed, she was thinking, to be emitting a series of bleeps that was increasing in its frequency. It could only mean one thing. Activating the pods intercom, she yelled one word. "Grenade!"

As it went off, all she could see was a blinding white light, as a roar of sound filled her ears. Then everything went black as she fell unconscious.

O-O-O

"Ten seconds," Foster was saying from the _Challenger_'s tactical station, "till shields restoration."

Styles just nodded - his eyes on the fighters that were beginning to focus on the _Enterprise_, which was now holding position just off the _Odysseus_. The larger starship, was shrugging off the fighters attacks, its shields barely glowing under the assault.

"Sir," Samno said, glancing up from his station. "Two members of the MACO party just beamed aboard the boarding pod. The other four have beamed onto deck twelve."

"Seven seconds," Foster said.

O-O-O

As the sparkle of the transporter effect faded, McKenzie took in her surroundings. She and Hudson were standing just inside the wrecked airlock. Of the other four members of _Strike 1_, two were on guard duty in the main compartment of the pod, keeping a watch over the stunned invading troops. The third pair was behind the aft access door to the port torpedo bay, opposite the airlock.

Pulling her tricorder from a pouch, she flipped it open and making sure it set to silent mode, made quick scan of the torpedo bay beyond. In it were at least a couple of dozen life signs. According to her scan, two of the intruders were mirroring both hers and Hudson's positions on the other side of the airlock, while a second pair had the aft access door under guard. The rest appeared to be moving about rapidly and interacting with the different life signs. The cause was obvious. The fight had broken down into a slugging match.

Quickly putting her tricorder away, she pulled out her communicator. Rather than use com-badges that could be lost in a fight - the MACOs, sometimes referred to as the Marine Corp, preferred the old flip communicator design as they were sturdier and more powerful. She never did understand why the squids, meaning the 'fleet, had eventually changed to the 'badges a couple decades earlier.

Flipping hers open, she opened a channel to _Challenger_. "_Strike 1 _to _Challenger_," McKenzie was saying. "_Strike 1 _to _Challenger_."

"Challenger_Bridge here,_" was the response from their communications officer. McKenzie didn't know the officers name. "_Go ahead _Strike 1."

"Tell environmental engineering," McKenzie was sawing," to access the grav plating controls for deck twelve starboard forward and standby to push them up to eight gravities."

"_Standing by…_" came the immediate response.

McKenzie didn't acknowledge. Instead she changed channels. "Team 1 to Team 3," she stated.

"_Standing by…_" came the heavily Russian accented response from Corporal Jenny Bukovsky.

"Bukovsky," McKenzie said quietly. "Is your tricorder picking up those guards by the access door to the port torpedo bay?"

"_Affirmative_," Bukovsky stated. "_What's the plan?_"

"Watch the gravity readings for the forward end of the torpedo bay," McKenzie told her fellow marine. "When it jumps up to eight gravities, move in and take out the guards."

"_Understood,_" Bukovsky answered. "_Team 3 out._"

"Hudson," McKenzie asked. "Set?"

Hudson simply nodded as McKenzie contacted _Challenger_'s bridge. "Up the gravity," she said. "Now!"

Quickly putting her communicator away, McKenzie and Hudson stepped quietly into the torpedo bay and violently smashed the butts of their phaser rifles into the helmets of the two intruders guarding the airlock, knocking them to the ground. Pointing their rifles at the fallen guards, she spoke ominously in unison with Hudson. "'Now my young Jedi, you will die.'"

Both McKenzie and Hudson fired.

Hearing the sound of two more bodies collapsing to the deck, McKenzie and Hudson glanced up. Approaching them from the access door to the port torpedo bay was Bukovsky and her partner Private Richards. "You didn't actually kill them," Bukovsky was saying. "Did you?"

"Naw," McKenzie said, her voice grinning. "The rifles were set stun. But they'll certainly wish they were."

Beside McKenzie, Hudson was practically laughing as he pointed to the forward end of the bay. "Would you look at that?"

As the others looked to where he was pointing, they started laughing themselves. At the forward part of the bay, next the hatch where torpedoes would enter the launcher was a pile of bodies struggling to move under the weight of eight gravities. Most seemed to be wearing old style green battledress uniforms, but here and there they could see the blue of a Starfleet uniform.

McKenzie had been right a minute earlier when she had thought the fight had degenerated into a melee. It was the only explanation for the pile up. Taking a moment to stop her laughing, she approached the console on the back wall and activated the intercom "_Strike 1 _to bridge," she said. "Starboard torpedo bay secure. Lock onto all life-signs lacking a communicator and transport them to the brig. Same with the boarding pod."

O-O-O

Sitting the command chair of the _Challenger_'s bridge, Styles turned briefly to Nechayev. "Sorry," he told her, "you didn't get you fun. Maybe next time."

"Sir," Garret said looking over at Styles. "Commander Kyle's reporting he's ready to re-raise the shields."

"Samno," Styles ordered quickly. "Activate the emergency force fields."

"Yes, Sir."

"Tell him to raise them." Styles told Garret.

O-O-O

At his console in engineering, Kyle quickly entered the command that would raise the shields. Glancing at a schematic of the ship as he did so, he saw the shields perimeter reform around the hull. He also let out a small whoop of joy as the pod attached to the starboard side was pushed off the ship as they were raised.

"Bridge," he said. "Shields restored."

O-O-O

A moment earlier on the bridge of the _Enterprise_, Picard was watching the slowly spinning form of the _Odysseus_ on the main screen. A few minutes earlier, just after the _Challenger_ had fired her torpedoes and for all intents disabled the EarthForce destroyer, he'd ordered the _Enterprise_ to close the distance between the two vessels to see if there would be any reaction. So far there hadn't been any.

Several hundred meters beyond the _Odysseus_, with hostile fighters buzzing around her, was the _Challenger_.

"Captain," Data said looking up from his position in the operations bay. "_Challenger_ has just restored her shields." A beat later Data spoke up again. "Fascinating," he was saying. "As the _Challenger _raised her shields, it pushed the boarding pod off their hull."

"On screen," Riker said from his seat next to Picard.

The image shifted for a moment to show a view of _Challenger_. Slowly drifting away was the conical boarding pod. "Sure hope," Riker said; sotto voice. "Nobody was on that thing when it was pushed off."

"The pod is empty, Commander," Data supplied

"Captain," Yar was saying. "I'm getting a message from _Challenger_. They say they've captured the intruders and want to go help the _Alexander_."

"Uh huh," Picard acknowledged.

"Sir," Riker said looking at Picard. "I don't think they should. By helping them, we'd be getting involved in internal affair of the Earth Alliance. You know that's a violation of the Prime Directive."

"We're already involved-" Picard was cut off as he felt the ship shudder. 

On the main screen, both Picard and Riker could see a bright red beam lance out briefly from one of the _Odysseus_'s rear turrets as the destroyers spin gradually slowed to a stop. The crew of the destroyer was regaining control of their vessel.

"We're already involved," Picard repeated after the shuddering had stopped. "We became involved the moment that vessel," Picard gestured towards the main screen, "opened fire. Like it or not, we're now a part of this conflict." As Picard finished, he glanced over his shoulder to look at Yar; she was awaiting the reply she would have to send back to the _Challenger_. "Tell them to proceed," he told her. "I think its time we made some friends in this reality. Instruct the _Challenger_ to escort them to their destination."

"Aye, Sir," Yar answered as she got work on her console composing the message.

"I hope," Riker said. "That it's the right side we're trying to make friends with."

Picard nodded absently, studying the main screen. Ignoring _Challenger_, heading off under impulse power, for now, he focused on the _Odysseus_ instead. The Earth Alliance ship appeared to be turning back towards the structure it had originally arrived through. _Trying to get a message out_, Picard thought. _And abandoning its fighters in the process_.

"Captain," Crusher said studying his readouts. "The _Odysseus_ is reversing course. Looks like they're heading back for the array they arrived through."

"Sir," Riker said. "If they contact their superiors…"

He didn't have to go on; Riker knew the consequences of what could happen if the enemy got away. They'd report the position of the _Challenger _and _Enterprise_. Then both starships could very well come under the guns of a much larger force, and while the _Enterprise_and _Challenger _could handle a half a dozen EarthForce ships. A dozen could present a significant danger.

"Ensign Crusher," Picard said, leaning forward in his chair. "Keep our bow on the _Odysseus_; Lieutenant Yar, standby photon torpedoes."

O-O-O

Within the 'fury _Gamma 1_, Nishizawa, watched with horror as the larger hostile, called _Enterprise_, quickly and gracefully rotated about, keeping its bow on the effectively wrecked EarthForce destroyer. From the way the _Enterprise_moved, Nishizawa could tell that the _Odysseus_ could be destroyed at anytime. Any second, he kept expecting to see those reddish missiles fly towards and destroy the _Odysseus_.

_What are they waiting for? _Nishizawa thought.

A moment later, it was obvious that whoever was in charge of _Odysseus _now had realized the same thing as it started to fire its remaining particle lasers on the _Enterprise_; trying to make itself as dangerous a target as possible.

In Nishizawa's eyes, it was a useless gesture; he could see the energy barrier, which closely followed the form of the _Enterprise_, flare with a bluish glow every time a particle laser hit. 

O-O-O

"In optimum firing position," Crusher reported bluntly; entering a series of commands into the helm. "We're now entering a pursuit course. Captain, I've confirmed it. The _Odysseus_ is definitely heading for the array. Forty-five seconds till interception with the array." Watching the _Odysseus_ fire her remaining particle lasers, the young ensign was reminded of the fact that a wounded ship could be very dangerous.

"Mr. Data," Riker asked glancing back to the operations station. "Is it possible, that the array is some sort of transwarp aperture?"

"Commander, I do not believe so," Data answered as called up the sensor logs. "When the array activated the last time, sensors detected a massive burst of neutrino and verteron particles embedded within a tachyon matrix. From this, I can only hypothesize that the array is some kind of wormhole generator."

"Is there any way to confirm that?" Picard asked

"Thirty seconds," Crusher announced. Giving the bridge crew a verbal reminder that time was against them.

"A gravimetric scan is capable of detecting wormholes," Data cocked his head as he processed his response to Picard's inquiry. "However, given the artificial nature of the phenomena, the scan would have to be done while the array is active."

"I'm no expert on wormhole theory," Picard said. "But, wouldn't the wormhole pull the destroyer into the wormhole?"

"I could," Data way saying. "Lock on a tractor beam to hold them in place after they activate the array. Going to full reverse impulse should keep us from getting pulled in also."

"Sir," Yar announced, looking up from the tactical station. "I've got a full spread of torpedoes ready and locked on."

"Understood," Picard acknowledged. "Time till the _Odysseus_ reaches the array?"

"Twenty seconds," Crusher answered.

O-O-O

Aboard the _Alexander_, Major Ed Ryan looked around the command deck, surveying the damage from the command chair. Most of which was centred on the sensor stations. Near those sensor stations at the rear of the command deck, a medic was giving emergency first aid to General Hague; lying unconscious on the deck. The left side of his face was a bloody mess where shrapnel from an overload had struck him as he'd studied what had appeared to be a sensor ghost.

Standing at the execs station on the left of the bridge, Trainor – who had been supervising the sensor officers – now had taken over Ryan's normal post since the he'd been forced to take command. "Sir," he said. "We're picking up that sensor ghost again."

"Where?" Ryan asked, glancing across his left shoulder.

"Bearing directly ahead," Trainor said. "It's closing fast at twenty-five PSL."

"Check that," Ryan said, not believing the velocity for a minute. Nothing could travel that fast.

"Confirmed," He paused as he saw something else. "Major, the sensor ghost is hailing us on tight beam. The signal strength is strong enough to punch through the _Clarkstown_'s jamming."

"Put it through," Ryan said. "And lets hope they're not hostile," pausing for a beat, he added, "too us anyway."

Looking up at the monitor on the fore wall, the image of the running battle between his Thunderbolts and the _Clarkstown_ changed to show that of an unknown command deck. The view seemed to be focused on the ships commander sitting in his command chair and what appear to be four displays showing what appeared to be schematics of what looked to be the design of an unfamiliar ship. Though Ryan couldn't be sure, he had the impression that the command deck was roughly circular, like the _Alexander_'s.

For the moment, Ryan ignored the background, and paid attention to the occupant in the command chair. He was wearing what seemed to be a rather utilitarian blue uniform with gold piping around the shoulders. Just below the piping on the uniforms left breast adjacent to a vertical zipped pocket, he could see what appeared to be an insignia of sorts. A small silver arrowhead shape on top of what appeared to be a gold oval. Just within the piping on the right breast, Ryan could see what appeared to be four silver rectangular pips.

"_Earth Alliance Ship _Alexander" the officer was saying. "_I'm Captain Robert Styles of the Federation Starship_ USS Challenger_. We picked up your distress call and are on route to assist. Be advised, we are coming in with weapons hot. ETA: Four minutes eight seconds._"

As Styles spoke, Ryan's mind was racing with questions he didn't have time to ask. _What was this Federation? Where did they come from? Why were they intervening? What did they expect in return? Were they from some lost colony or were they descendents from 'abductees?'_

"Can we respond?" Ryan asked. "Anyway to break through the jamming?"

Trainor shook his head. "Sorry," he said. "Not without taking power from the interceptors."

O-O-O

On the _Enterprise_'s main screen, everyone could see the _Odysseus_; its four massive ion engines glowing brightly as they slowly pushed the EarthForce destroyer onwards to the array with the _Enterprise_in pursuit.

At the helm, Crusher called the time out again. "Ten seconds," glancing back to Picard as he did so.

Leaning forward, Picard could practically feel the tension in the air of the bridge. The array could activate itself at anytime. The _Odysseus_ was within spitting distance of the array. As he glanced round the bridge, he could that his crew was feeling it as well. Forward at the helm, Crusher wiped away the beads of perspiration that were forming on his forehead. Behind, Data with his lack of emotions was oblivious to the tension as he worked to get the gravimetric scan ready.

"Five seconds," Crusher announced.

"Captain," Yar said glancing up from her station. "I'm picking up a tachyon broadcast being directed at the array. It appears to be some sort of data burst."

"The array is powering up," Data said. "Initiating scan."

On the screen, just ahead of the _Odysseus_, Picard and Riker could see the explosive chain reaction taking place on the array. An instant later, in flash of light, an orange-yellow vortex could be seen forming within the struts of the array.

"Sir," Crusher said. "The _Odysseus_ is being pulled into the vortex!"

"Yar," Riker said getting to his feet. "Lock on tractor beam; Ensign Crusher, full reverse."

O-O-O

Following some distance behind in his Starfury, Nishizawa watched the proceedings through his canopy. Ahead of the _Odysseus_, he could see the orange-yellow vortex that was the entry way into hyperspace form within the jump gate. Also visible, were the blue rays of light that seemed to reach out, from just below the dish on the forward end of the _Enterprise_'s secondary hull, and latch onto the _Odysseus_.

It was a tractor beam he realized. He'd heard that the Minbari and some of the races from the League of Non Aligned Worlds had it.

O-O-O

"Impulse engines," Crusher supplied, "now reading full reverse."

"Tractor beam locked on and engaged," Yar said working away at her console. "Sir," she said after moment, responding to an alarm on her console. "The _Odysseus_ has just launched some kind of probe into the array."

"On screen," Picard ordered. "Destroy it."

"I'm sorry, Sir." Yar responded. "It's gone."

"Damn," Riker said. "I'll give you good odds that probe was their log buoy with records of their engagement with us."

"Status of your scan?" Picard asked Data. "We need to deal with that ship before they give us any more surprises."

"Almost done," Data answered. "Fascinating; the phenomena is a wormhole of sorts. However," Data continued. "It does not lead to another point in space. Instead it leads to another-"

"Data," Picard said, cutting him off. "Later."

"Aye, Sir," he acknowledged. "Scan complete."

Looking at the main screen, Picard saw the wormhole abruptly collapse then fade away. Glancing back towards Yar, he gave the order he'd wanted to give for the past minute. "Lieutenant," he said. "Destroy that ship."

"Aye, Sir," Yar responded. "Releasing tractor beam, firing torpedoes…"

O-O-O

In his 'fury, Nishizawa instinctively knew that the _Odysseus_'s time had come when he saw the tractor beam disengage, along with a pair of those strange reddish missile launching themselves from a point near the base of the _Enterprise_'s neck to impact the _Odysseus_ amidships. The resulting explosion broke the destroyer's spine, effectively breaking the ship in two.

O-O-O

"The _Odysseus_ has been destroyed," Yar said. "And I'm receiving numerous hails from the fighters. They're surrendering."

"Very well," Picard sighed. "Beam those pilots and any _Odysseus_ survivors aboard; Ensign Crusher, stand down from condition red. Go," he continued, "to condition yellow."

O-O-O

Hurtling towards the _Alexander_, the _Challenger_ shuddered violently, as if trying to tear herself apart. Sitting in his command chair, Styles tried to exhibit a calm he didn't feel as the deck vibrated beneath his feat.

This vibration wasn't from weapons fire; that he could ignore. But this vibration was being generated by the ship's own impulse engines on the trailing edge of the saucer.

Down below in main engineering, Kyle had just registered a complaint that he was pushing the engines beyond their tolerance limits. Styles had merely acknowledged the complaint, simply stating that he'd note the complaint in the ships log and left it at that.

"In weapons range?" Styles demanded, glancing forward to the helm.

"Not yet, Captain." Crewman Burke answered, his eyes focused on the main screen. "Thirty seconds. We're still two point three-six-two million kilometres distant."

"Not good enough," Styles said, beginning to feel his calm exterior disintegrate. He'd promised to help the _Alexander_; he'd be damned if the _Challenger_ was going to arrive too late and find a smoking hulk where there once had been a destroyer. "Increase impulse power to one nineteenth past full impulse."

"Sir," Burke pleaded his eyes wide at the prospect of doing what his commanding officer was suggesting. "She'll fly apart!"

"Then," Styles barked. His calm exterior gone. "Fly her apart!"

Burke felt a shudder pass through him as he complied. This shudder though, did not come from the ship; it came from the fear he felt. He'd never heard Styles bark like that before.

At the trailing edge of the saucer, the ionized gasses streaming out from the impulse engines exhaust ports, normally invisible, began to glow brightly.

O-O-O

"Sir," the blond weapons officer said. "_Clarkstown_ is firing!"

On the screen at the fore of _Alexander_'s command deck, Ryan watched as one of _Clarkstown_'s particle lasers lashed out, striking the ship in the rear of its rotating section.

As the ship shuddered from the hit, Ryan moved over to the blond and stood next Trainor who was studying a damage report. "Thirty percent hit to rear decks," he told Ryan. "One more of those, we're going to loose rotation and go Z-gravity. We can't outrun them in normal space." After a moment, he added. "Major, the jump engines are back online. We have to jump while we've got the chance."

"And leave our fighters stranded?" Ryan answered. "We can't jump without them."

"If we reel them in," Trainor said, objecting to the idea. "We'll loose our screen. The _Clarkstown _will burn us from stem to stern."

"Damn it," Ryan muttered. "Haven't we lost enough already?"

"If you won't jump," Trainor said. "Then let me open fire with the aft batteries."

"I don't want to kill," Ryan said trying to get through to Trainor, "any more of our own ships."

"Sir," the blond looked up, interrupting their argument. "_USS Challenger_ entering visual range. They're hailing the _Clarkstown _on audio."

"Let's hear it," Ryan ordered, retaking his command chair. He wanted to see just who their saviour was. "And give me a visual of the _Challenger_."

On the monitor, he could see a smallish ship that seemed to conform to the schematics he'd seen in their communiqué earlier. "She's a beauty," he murmured. The ship he noted was apparently leaving behind a stream of bright plasma that was slowly dissipating as the ship moved rapidly closer.

Over the speakers, he could hear Captain Styles talking. "_This is Captain Styles of the Starship _Challenger_. The _EAS Alexander_ is under own protection. Stand down, or be destroyed._"

The response, as Ryan expected, was immediate. _"This is Captain Southwarth of the _Clarkstown" As Ryan listened, he could see the _Challenger _rapidly decelerate as it grew larger on his monitor. As it did so, he began to be able to make out some of the lettering on the hull. It was in Earth Standard. Also visible, were the blackened scorch marks of battle. Probably recent, or they would have had those sections of their hull replaced.

Despite taking in the view of the _Challenger_, he kept listening to the on going broadcast. "_Negative,_" Southwarth was saying. "_You have no authority._"

"_My torpedoes say otherwise,_" Styles responded calmly. "_Let me give you a brief demonstration…_"

O-O-O

"And just so you know," Styles said, looking at the image of the _Alexander_ and the _Clarkstown_ beyond. "This is our photon torpedoes minimum yield." Sitting in his seat, he glanced over to Garret; he made a slashing gesture; silently ordering her to cut the broadcast. "Lieutenant Foster, fire."

Hearing the sound of the launcher echo through the decks, Styles turned his attention to the main screen. On it, he saw the torpedo streak onwards, past the _Alexander_ and her fighter screen towards the Clarkstown. A moment later, it slammed into the hull and detonated leaving blackened scorch mark near the antennae arrays on its bow.

"Damage assessment," Styles ordered.

"Minimal damage to the _Clarkstown_," Foster reported, glancing back towards Styles. "Mostly hull scarring," he added. Confirming what could be seen on the screen. "She's also taken damage to auxiliary systems. Sir…she's falling back and appears to be turning to starboard. Heading: two-six-seven mark six."

"Captain," Garret added. "We did more than simple hull damage. The jamming field is gone."

"Captain," Samno said, glancing over his shoulder to where Styles sat in his chair. "Sensors are picking up a vortex forming just ahead of the _Clarkstown_. She's entering it…Sir, she's gone."

Still watching the main screen, Styles began issuing his orders. "Garret, hail _Alexander_. Right standard rudder, take us behind their stern and bring us along side; match their course and speed."

O-O-O

"Sir," Trainor said moving quickly across the _Alexander_'s command deck to the execs station. "Jump point forming; the _Clarkstown_ is withdrawing."

"Reload our fighters," Ryan said, sighing in the relief. "The _Challenger_?" Ryan asked. On the main monitor, the external visual was showing the _Challenger_ moving into a matching course.

"Coming about," Trainor said. "Appears to be matching our course and speed…Sir, their hailing."

"Put them through," Ryan said, trying to look as presentable as possible. Once again, he was looking at the unfamiliar command deck he'd seen before. Only this time, Ryan was thinking, the man in the command chair looked more relaxed, leaning back into the chair, rather than leaning forward. "USS _Challenger_," he began addressing the human appearing commanding officer. "I am Major Ed Ryan of the Earth AllianceShip _Alexander_. Please identify yourselves." Another thought occurred to him as he watched the officer sitting in the chair. _There's no seatbelts_, Ryan was thinking. _That means either he's secured to that seat by Velcro; or that ship has artificial gravity_.

"_As I said earlier,_" Styles said sounding a little irritated. Probably, Ryan realized, from having to repeat what he'd said in his earlier. But, he'd wanted to make sure he'd heard right the first time. "_I am Captain Robert Styles of the_ _Federation Starship_ USS Challenger_. I thought the _Alexander _was under the command of General Hague?_"

"She is," Ryan confirmed. "I'm the _Alexander_'s executive officer. General Hague was severely injured in the engagement."

"_I understand,_" Styles answered, his expression changing to one of concern. "_Do you need medical assistance? I can have shuttles sent over with a medical teams and supplies._"

"I'd appreciate it," was Ryan's prompt response. "But first," he continued. "I'd very much like to hear where you came from and how you become involved in the war?"

"_It's a long story,_" Styles tried to say somewhat evasively.

"I still want to hear it," Ryan said, trying to make his order sound more like a request.

"_Very well,_" Styles went on. "_We are from an interstellar political entity known as the United Federation of Planets and our arrival in this system as a result of an encounter with a spatial anomaly. We were preparing to get underway to _Starbase 105_ when we were ambushed by Klingon warships. During this engagement, both the _Challenger_ and our command ship, the _USS Enterprise_, were caught within the anomaly when it suddenly grew. The next moment, we found ourselves within the vicinity of that array in the outer region of this system. We've been here for almost a week now._"

"You'll excuse me," Ryan said. "If I say that I've never heard of this Federation. Nor have I seen a ship designed like yours. The technology…"

"_That wouldn't surprise me_," Styles answered plainly. As Ryan watched his expression, he could tell that he was being truthful; at least partially. "_The Federation is a long, long way from here. Now as for why we intervened. That is simple enough. A short time ago we were engaged by an EarthForce destroyer. Its captain accused us of being a part of the rebellion and when my superior denied it, an all out assault was launched against us. It was during this engagement that we picked up you distress call and we were ordered to assist. My orders are to provide any assistance needed and escort you to your destination._"

"I get the impression," Ryan said. "That was the short version."

"_It was,_" Styles said. "_Now about that medical teams..._"

"Send them over."

To be continued in Chapter 7


End file.
